Fright Night  He's A Magic Man
by ninewood
Summary: Set three months after Fright Night, Peter Vincent faces a monster from his family's past.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

London, England 1811

The night was clear while the full moon shone brightly in the sky and the stars twinkled like a thousand diamonds against the blackness. The moonlight casted long shadows long the stone walls of the manor house and the lights from behind the curtains gave the manor house the look of having multiple yellow eyes. The stone fountain outside the double French doors was quiet as the moonlight shimmered on the water and a few drops of water dripped from the stone statue of a small boy with a pitcher in his hands. The sounds of boot heels on the stone filled the quietness of the night as a lone figure walked out from the stone manor house and closed the double French doors behind him. The air had a slight crispness to it for an early autumn night as the figure pulled the black cape around his shoulders tightly around his body and the moonlight dances in his chocolate brown eyes.

To ask if Giacomo Vincenzi thought he was a handsome man, he would gently smile and tell whoever asked that he wasn't. He had a nice face, in his opinion, but to be called handsome would be silly. It was true that women tended to look at him with sweet smiles and would do low whispers as he walked by but it never caught his attention. This was why he wondered why someone like Constance Lake would even give him the time of day, let alone agreed to marry him. She was a tall and bewitching beauty, who could have any man she wanted. Yet, for some reason, she picked him. His family did have some wealth but it wasn't something one bragged about. Why did she want to spend the rest of her life with a man that had no idea what he wanted out of life?

Then again, what he did in secret was a source of rumors. He had heard the talk that he might be a man that fancied other men, which was totally untrue, but even his own father looked at him with questions in his eyes.

"How can I tell him the truth?" Giacomo whispered as he walked to the fountain and sat down on the stone bench that was in front of the fountain. He lightly cursed himself for coming outside wearing a suit of such thin material and his feet ached from being crammed into boots he knew were a size too small.

"_That's what you get for having big feet," _he thought with a small smile and looked up at the moon. The moon was full enough to see small shadows on its face and he shivered, knowing full well what sort of creatures lurk out in the nights when the moon was full. He had seen the results of such creatures after his friend at the Yard would send word for him and there were many times he had to sneak out in the middle of the night to deal with whatever it was that had killed those poor people.

"Heaven help me, why me?" he sighed but didn't notice the double French doors opening and someone walked closer, their hand reaching out to touch his back. Whoever was behind him was startled when he sprang up like a tightly coiled spring and spun around to face them. "Oh, it's you."

Constance Lake placed her hand against her chest as her heart slammed against her hand and he looked at her chest. Her breasts were barely covered by the lace of her deep blue gown and the moonlight shimmered off the sliver and sapphire necklace that lay against her pale skin. Her jet black hair was pulled up into curls as diamond and sapphire pins held her hair in place and the moonlight shimmered in her hazel eyes. She gently lowered her hand as he came closer and stood in front of her with his hands behind his back.

"I do apologize, my dear lady, I didn't mean to startle you," he said and she nodded. He was bewitched with her flawless beauty as she smiled and titled her head to one side.

"It is I who should apologize for not saying anything," she said and he felt himself getting lost in her eyes. "Why are you out here all alone? It's your engagement party as well as mine."

Giacomo moved closer when he cupped her cheek in his hand and she leaned into his hand, feeling the warmth there.

"Answer me truthfully, Constance. Why do you want to marry me? I am nothing special," he said and her eyebrows arched up as she gave him a blank look.

"Oh, please, you are special. There is power in you, Giacomo Vincenzi," she said and he softly laughed.

"No, I am afraid that you are mistaken. I am a coward and proud of it," he said with conviction and she shook her head.

"If that were true then you would have never been able to use this," she said as she reached over and patted the top of the sword that was in the scabbard hanging against his left hip. The sword had a golden handle and hilt and the blade was made from flawless silver. He wore the sword constantly but no one knew where he got the sword or what he had done with it. He was stunned that Constance seemed to know about it and he balled his hands into fists.

"I don't know what you are talking about," he said with a stern tone to his voice and turned to go back into stone manor house.

"Then you deny that you used that against the loup garou that were terrorizing that village not far from here?" she asked and he spun around, his heart slamming in his chest,

"How did you know about that?" he demanded.

"Do you remember the witch who gave you that sword?" she asked and he felt his heart catch in his chest. No one knew he had received the sword as a talisman from a witch woman that lived in the village where the loup garou were hunting and his fingers flexed over the handle of the sword.

"I do not…" he said as she walked closer, placed her hand on top of his and pressed her fingers against his lips.

"You do know, and there is no reason to be afraid. My grandmother told you that you would be rewarded for saving the village. Do you remember what that reward was?" she asked as his mind rolled back to the words the witch had spoken to him and he nodded.

"She said that I would meet my match and my heart would be stolen," he said and she smiled at him.

"She also said there was a power hidden deep inside you. This power is inside all members of the Vincenzi family, but only a rare few use it. YOU are one of them! YOU are a true hunter and a true warlock!" she said and his eyes went wide. "Do not deny what is truth, Giacomo."

"But….if that is true, why am I so afraid?" he asked as she moved closer and kissed his lips.

"It's simple really. You're human," she said with a smile and Giacomo smiled back, kissing her lips while he held her against him. He felt her arms wrap around his waist as he held the back of her head in his hand and slid the other hand down her back. She arched her head back as he kissed down her neck, feeling her pulse thudding against his lips, and moved down to deliver light kisses on the top of her breasts. He was slightly shocked when she moved back then started loosening the ribbon that tied the top of her gown shut and she moved the top of her gown lower so he could just see the top of her nipples.

"This is…This is highly improper," he stuttered then moved closer as his fingers inches toward her breasts and…

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

The sound of the alarm beeping louder and louder caused daggers to pierce his brain as Peter Vincent opened his bloody shot eyes and looked at the glowing numbers. Blinking his eyes a few times, he rolled onto his back as he sighed and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"Shit, every bleeding time!" he growled as he tossed the duvet back, got out of bed and walked naked toward the bathroom, closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: The story goes from the past to the present and Giacomo Vincenzi is Peter's ancestor.

Chapter Two

Having a hangover was normal for Peter as he walked down the stairs and moaned. The ties to the black silk robe dangled at his sides as he brushed his fingers through his dark brown hair and stopped, sniffing the air. He smelt something coming from the kitchen as he staggered down the hallway and stood in the kitchen doorway, blinking his eyes a few times. Standing in front of the stove was Charlie Brewster's mother, Jane, and she was softly singing while cooking some scrambled eggs. He had insisted that she and Charlie moved in with him after the house she bought after Jerry Dendridge had blown up their old house had a basement filled with mold and nests of termites were in the walls. She knew, as a real estate agent, that she should have checked but she was in a rush and forgot. He had heard her call out at night from nightmares from what Jerry had done and Peter had to admit that he had been having nightmares as well. Jane was impressed with how he furnished the penthouse and he had explained what most of the trophies and objects were in the cabinets and display cases. She was more surprised by his panic room and he told her he only used it in emergencies.

"Morning," he mumbled as he sat down at the table and Jane nodded her head. His dark brown hair stuck up on the top of his head as his bloodshot chocolate brown eyes looked at her and she sighed, walking closer to the table.

"You look like shit," she said as he placed his chin in his hand and gave her a blank look with his eyes open wide.

"I had trouble sleeping," he said as she placed the plate in front of him and he picked up the fork, picking at the scrambled eggs. "Where's my Midori?"

"It's a little early for that, don't you think?" she asked as he arched an eyebrow and she sighed, going back to cooking the eggs. He picked at the scrambled eggs when he started eating and half closed his eyes. His mind drifted back to three month ago and he saw Charlie sitting in the living room, trying to get information on how to kill vampires. He knew that Charlie was feeding him a line and he was just being friendly, hoping that he would just go away and leave him alone. He didn't want anything to do with vampires but Charlie dragged him back into a life he thought long gone and he sighed, rubbing his left eye with his finger.

"It wasn't really his fault. Who knew that asshole would come back into my life and start causing trouble again."

"Did you say something?" Jane asked as she placed the eggs on the plate and he picked some eye grit out of his eye.

"Just talking to myself," Peter grumbled as she nodded then walked to the stove and turned the stove off. He watched her put the plate on the table then sat down and sipped on the coffee in her usual blue coffee mug. He ate some more eggs as he sighed and she saw the lost look in his eyes. Being good at reading people, she knew when someone needed to talk and when to leave them alone but there was something in his eyes that wanted to talk.

"You ok?" she asked as he blinked his eyes a few times and sighed.

"I just have a headache," he said and she softly smiled.

"You hung over, that's what you are," she teased and he glared at her. "Peter, I know it isn't my place to tell you what to do but you really should…"

"Hold it right there!" he said as he held up his left hand and she nodded her head. "Sorry…Sorry, I'm just a bastard when I'm hung over."

"That's alright," she said as she sipped on her coffee then placed the coffee mug down on the table.

"Where's Charlie?"

"He left. He has a history test today," Jane said and he nodded.

"Did he take the limo?" he asked and she softly smiled.

"No, he took the town car."

"Aw, he should take the limo. He could pretend to be a rock star," he said with a smile and she softly laughed.

"So, what are you doing today?"

"I need to rehearse that rope escape then there's the interview for a new girl for my act. Shit, I know that my act isn't the best on the strip, but you'd think they'd stay for more than a few days, Ok, I admit that I'm not the easiest guy to work for. What happened to loyalty?" he said as he poked some scrambled eggs on the fork and shoved the scrambled eggs into his mouth.

"I don't know. We had four people quit the agency in the last month due to the market not doing well," she said and he nodded. Looking at her watch, she quickly ate her breakfast then got up and he watched her heading out the kitchen. "Shit, I just remembered that I'm showing a house today!"

"Take the limo!" he shouted as her laughter echoed down the hallway and he smiled, taking the silver flask out of the pocket of his robe, opened it and took a swig of Midori.

London, England 1811

The sunlight brightened the room as the maid opened the curtains then turned, looking at the bed. Giacomo had the duvet half over his head as he sighed and rolled over onto his back, blinking his eyes open. His dark brown hair was scattered on the pillow as he hand slid across the duvet when he felt the empty space and he covered his eyes with his lower arm.

"Good morning, Surh," the maid said as he lowered his arm and looked over at her.

"Good morning, Kristina," he said as she walked closer and moved the duvet and bedding back. He was wearing a long, white cotton nightshirt and Kristina held up the dark blue dressing gown and he slid his arms in the sleeves. She turned him around as she tied the dressing down closed and he smiled at her. Her family had worked for his family for generations and he thought she was a rather pleasing young woman. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes and her face was round with chubby cheeks. She was a little shorter than he was and was the youngest daughter of Mister Fitzgibbons, the head of the house and head butler. Giacomo knew she had a crush on him but he never recognized those feeling and she placed the slippers on his feet. "Kristina, may I ask your opinion on something?"

"Och, aye, what do you wish tae ken?" she asked with her sweet Scottish accent.

"What is your opinion of Miss Lake?" he asked and she stood up quickly with a startled look on her face. "Are you alright?"

"Aye, Surh, but it isnae my place tae speak evil of someone of a higher class."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Surh," she said as she looked around the room like she was hoping that no one would overhear what she was about to say and he cupped her chin in his hand and she looked deeply into his chocolate brown eyes. "I have heard from others that Miss Lake isnae the right woman for you."

"And why isn't she the right woman for me?"

"Well, they say…they say that she is nae a woman of class. They say that she has evilness in her," she said softly as he let go of her chin and started pacing back and forth. "Surh, believe me when I say that I think Miss Lake is a wonderful woman."

"Yes, I believe you," he said then walked to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Just who are these people that are saying these things?"

"I dinnae ken their names, Surh, but some of the people last night were speaking badly aboot her most of the night. I would have said some choice words with them but I dare nae, seeing that it would cause me my position if I did."

"Yes, I see where that would be a problem," he said with a nod of his head and patted her shoulder.

"Surh, if I may speak freely?" she asked and he nodded his head. "I also heard words aboot you. This man was talking with your father and mentioned something aboot your late night activities."

"I don't know what you are talking about," he said and saw a small smile on her lips.

"Again, Surh, I dinnae wish you tae be angry but I have seen the blood on your trousers and shirts. I kept my tongue but I have figured out something," she said and he arched an eyebrow.

"And what is it that you think you know about me?" he asked with a stiff tone and she half smiled.

"You are a night hunter," she said and placed a hand on his shoulder. "See, my granddad was a night hunter as well. There were many a time that my grandmother would see him lying on the lounge or the floor with blood on him and he finally told her the truth. True, she was terrified that he would bring evil into the house but it never stopped him from going out and killing those vile creatures. That is why I never told anyone aboot your bloody clothing and would burn them."

"Ah, so that's why I keep finding new shirt and trousers in the wardrobe," he said and she nodded. "Well, thank you for not saying anything."

"But what are you going tae do aboot your father? He thinks…Well, he thinks…" she said softly and he softly laughed, shaking his head.

"I know full well what he thinks. What I can't do is let him find out what I really do at night. If he found out…." Giacomo sighed and she patted his shoulder.

"But wouldnae he understand that what you are doing is ridding the world of creatures of darkness?"

"Ah, there's the problem. Like most people, my father doesn't believe that creatures like that exist," he said and she nodded her head.

"Well, come eat. Your breakfast is getting cold," she said as he nodded and they headed for the table near the window.

"Peter?" was what his brain heard while someone shook him and he sighed, opening his eyes. He had gone back to bed for a quick nap as he looked up at Ginger and she had a concerned look in her eyes. Blinking his eyes a few times, he saw Jane standing next to the bed and he frowned, feeling his chest growing a little tight. He had told Ginger's family that she had been attacked after calling to tell them she was dead and stood at the back at her funeral.

"Are you ok?" Jane asked she sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair from his eyes.

"Yeah, I just went back to bed for a bit," he said as she helped him sit up and he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Which means you missed rehearsal,"

"No, I did the rehearsal. Just felt tired afterwards," he said then looked at the alarm clock on the night table. "Oh shit, I have to get ready! The interviews are in ten minutes," he said as he got out of bed and she watched him run into the bathroom closing the door behind him. Sighing, she shook her head as she got off the bed and left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

London, England 1811

Constance stood by the bed while placing her clothes in the suitcase and glanced at the ring on her left ring finger. The gold band sparkled along with the three diamonds and she sweetly smiled, thinking about becoming the newest Lady Vincenzi. She remember the first time she had laid eyes on Giacomo and how handsome he looked in his black waistcoat, white shirt, tight black trousers and black leather boots. The black cape hung on his shoulders and he held black leather gloves in his right hand. He had come to see her grandmother in order to get some help fighting the loup garou that were terrorizing a village not far from the house and her grandmother gave him a silver blade sword. He offered to pay for the sword but her grandmother told him that there was no charge. For her to be so generous surprised Constance but then she heard that he would meet his match and his heart would be stolen.

"_Imagine our surprise when we found that it was I who would end up stealing his heart!" _she thought then smiled.

"M'Lady?" someone asked as she turned around and saw Giacomo's maid servant standing in the doorway.

"Yes…Kristina, was it? What can I do for you?" she asked as Kristina walked closer and stood in front of her.

"I dinnae mean tae speak out of my station, Miss, but I need tae speak with you," she said and Constance nodded. She walked to the door when she closed the door and pointed with her hand toward the couch near the window. They sat down as Kristina bunched some of the apron she wore in her hands and sighed, looking at the floor.

"Do not worry, Kristina. Whatever you wish to say to me will never leave this room," she said and Kristina softly smiled.

"I….I wish to speak tae you aboot my master," she said and Constance nodded for her to continue. "Och, I admit that I have feeling for him but I ken that he doesnae have feelings for me. I just wonder if you truly love him. He is a nice man an' he deserves someone that loves him completely."

"I do love Giacomo with all my heart," Constance said and Kristina nodded.

"It's just that I heard stories aboot you, Miss, terrible stories," Kristina sighed and Constance softly smiled.

"You mean the rumors about me being a witch?" she asked and Kristina's eyes went wide. "Now there is no reason to be afraid. I do admit that I am a witch."

"Have you…? Did you….?" Kristina stammered and Constance softly laughed.

"No, I haven't cast a spell on Giacomo. Truth be told, I think he cast one on me," she said with a shy smile. "Out of all the women in the world, he asked me to marry him."

"The Master is verra shy, Miss," Kristina said with a nod of her head.

"Yes, I have noticed that."

'Then there's…" Kristina said then stopped herself and Constance tilted her head to one side.

"Yes?" she asked and Kristina shook her head, looking down at her hands.

"I promised nae tae tell," she said and Constance placed a hand on top of hers.

"Are you talking about his nightly activities?" she asked and Kristina's eyes went wide. "I know all about them."

"You…you do, Miss?" she asked with a stunned look on her face.

"Yes, and I promise to keep his secret," she said then stood up, looking at her. "Is there anything else?"

"Aye," Kristina said as she stood up and sighed. "When you say that you're a witch, are you a white witch?"

"Are you asking if I'm a good witch?" she asked with a grin and Kristina nodded her head. "Well, like there are good people and bad people, there are good witches and bad ones. So, yes, I am a white witch."

"That is good to ken," Kristina said then did a curtsey and left the room. Constance looked at the door for a few minutes when she softly laughed, shook her head and went to finish her packing. 

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

The one thing Cassandra Lake hated was sitting in traffic. She hated it more when she had somewhere to go. Her agent had called and told her that she had arranged an audition at the Hard Rock Hotel and Cassandra was on the verge of being late. First her alarm clock failed to wake her then she broke a nail and her hair dryer died, leaving her to go out with wet hair. It didn't matter that she had to prove that she was an excellent magician but having to work for some like Peter Vincent seemed…beneath her. She had seen his act a few times but she never thought much of his act.

"_Well, it's better than nothing," _she thought and held the steering wheel tightly in her hands. The traffic finally moved as she sighed and her blue car moved down the street. A few minutes later she arrived at the hotel when she parked the car and got out. Her jet black hair was pulled up into a bun as she opened the back door and reached in to remove the cage that had been secured to the back seat and whatever was in the cage growled at her. Inside the cage was a falcon with dark brown and white feathers and the small black feathers on its chest was in the shape of a cross. She placed the cage on the ground when she closed and locked the doors then picked up the cage, walking toward the door to the employees' entrance.

"Right, let's get this over with," she said as her hazel eyes sparkled in the sunlight and she pushed the button, hearing the buzzing sound from behind the door. She was wearing a white blouse, a navy blue jacket and trousers and blue shoes and her purse was hanging over her right shoulder. She held onto the handle of the cage when the door opened and a tall man with a bald head looked at her.

''Yeah?" he asked as she looked at him and noticed that his muscles were straining against the tight black t-shirt he was wearing with SECURITY on the front. He was also wearing jeans and black leather boots and she held up a finger, opening her purse to get out the letter her agent had sent her. Handing the letter to him, she waited as he checked the names on the list that was connected to the clipboard in his hand and he nodded, opening the door wider. "The showroom is down the hall. Just make a left then a right and you'll see the banner over the door."

Thanking him, Cassandra picked up the cage as she headed down the hallway when she entered the lobby and smiled. She looked around when she walked to her left then saw a hallway to her right and held the handle of the cage tighter in her hands. She stopped when she saw the banner with Peter's picture on it as she blinked her eyes and hummed.

"Ego much?" she asked then shrugged and headed for the door. She opened the door when she walked inside the showroom and glanced at the décor. She softly smiled then saw other young woman sitting at the tables or standing near the stage when she walked toward the stage and stood next to a young woman, who looked like she was wearing nothing more than feathers. Smiling, Cassandra gently tapped her shoulder and the young woman turned around, looking at her. "Excuse me. I know this is going to sound dumb, but is this where I audition for Peter Vincent?"

"Yeah, but why anyone wants to work for that asshole is beyond me. The guy's a hack," the young woman said when a loud cough filled the air and they looked up, seeing Peter standing on the stage in complete make-up and was wearing his leather pants, leather boots and his leather coat. "Oh fuck."

Constance agreed with her but only because the sight of Peter in person was a shock. He looked intimidating but she could sense a great sadness coming from him and he looked down at the young woman with such anger in his eyes.

"If that's how you feel, get the fuck out!" Peter shouted as he pointed toward the door and the young woman flipped him off and left the room. He looked at the other young woman when he crossed his arms over his bare chest and glared at them. "Anyone else want to leave?"

Cassandra looked at the other young women as they shook their heads and Peter slightly smiled, arching one eyebrow.

"Then let's get started," he said as he walked to the high back chair sitting at the center of the stage, sat down with one leg over the arm of the chair and snapped his fingers. Darcy had taken over Ginger's job as she growled then walked to him and slapped the clipboard against his bare chest and he smiled at her. He looked at the list of names when he looked at the young woman and tapped the clipboard on the tips of his fingers. "Right, who wants to go first?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"Oh for fuck sake," Peter sighed as he watched the young woman in the sparkly cat suit sauntered off the stage and he looked at the list. He wanted a drink so badly when he looked at Cassandra and waved with two fingers for her to come closer. Picking up the cage, she walked closer while he looked at her and his eyes traveled up and down her body. She had a pleasing shape and was beautiful but she looked more like a secretary than a magician's assistant and Peter swung the leg he had over the arm of the chair back and forth. "Um, what's with the outfit?"

"What is wrong with it?" Cassandra asked as she looked down and he arched an eyebrow.

"You look like you should be in a board meeting," he teased and she gave him a blank look. Sighing, he waved with his fingers for her to continue as she knelt down and opened the cage. Carefully removing the falcon from the cage, she stood up as his eyes went wide and he gave her an amused look. "Hmmm, that's an eagle, right?"

"No, he's a peregrine falcon," Cassandra said and the falcon seemed to give Peter a snooty look.

"Sorry," Peter said as he gave her a snooty look and sat back against the back of the chair. "Does Tweety have a name?"

"His name isn't Tweety. His name is Cross," she said as the falcon glared at Peter and Peter held his hands up in surrender.

"Ah. So, what do you and Cross do?"

"I could show you if you had a perch or something," she said when he pointed with his hands toward the phony trees behind him as she walked to the phony tree to his right and placed the falcon on the branch. Peter folded his arms across his chest as she walked toward him and he arched an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "Now I need you to stand over here."

Peter shrugged when he walked over to her and she slightly blushed when she turned him around to face the tree. They could hear the soft whispers as he turned around and looked at the young women that were looking at his bottom. Not to disappoint them, he lifted the leather coat as he wiggled his hips and Cassandra sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Excuse me," she said as he looked at her then rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched as she removed a deck of cards from her purse then handed the deck of cards to Peter and he looked at the deck of cards then at her.

"Oh, come on. You're kidding. You do card tricks?" he asked as he started to lose interest and she smiled, shaking her head.

"This isn't your ordinary card trick. I need you to look through the deck and find one card," she said and he rolled his eyes, getting bored.

"I know how the trick works, Love. It one of the first tricks I learned when I was getting started."

"Just do it!" she half shouted and his eyes grew wide.

"There's no need to get sassy, Cassy," he said then smiled. "Ooo, I like that. Mind if I call you that?"

He saw the anger in her eyes as he looked at the cards, found one and looked at her.

"Ok, I got one," he said and she nodded.

"I want you to concentrate on the card."

"Ok."

"Now I want you to spread the cards into a fan then hold the deck over your head."

"You want me to hold the deck over my head?" he asked as he arched an eyebrow and she nodded. Shrugging, he spread the cards out into a fan then held the deck over his head and concentrated on the card he picked. He looked at the falcon when Cassandra snapped her fingers and the falcon flew into the air, heading right for Peter. "Holy shit!"

Peter tossed the cards into the air as he ducked and the falcon flew over him and over the heads of the young women, who screamed and dived under the tables. Peter stood up as the falcon flew to Cassandra and landed on her wrist. He saw that the falcon had something in its beak as she pulled the card out of the falcon's beak, walked to him and held the card in her fingers.

"Is this your card, Sir?" she teased while he tried to calm his heartbeat down and looked at the card. To his surprise, she was holding the card he picked as he looked at her, smiled then snapped his fingers.

"Darcy?" he shouted and Darcy walked on stage, heading for Peter.

"I'm not your fucking dog," she grumbled as he looked at her and softly smiled.

"Take Miss…" he said then looked at Cassandra and she titled her head to one side.

"I'm Cassandra Lake," she said and he nodded.

"Take Miss Lake to the office and get the paperwork started," he said then walked to Cassandra and stood toe to toe with her. "Right, the show is at eight, which means you have to be here at seven to get ready."

Cassandra was gob smacked as she watched Peter walking away then felt Darcy tap her arm and she nodded as she followed her off stage.

"What the hell just happened?" one of the young women asked as the other young women shrugged and they left the room while the door closed behind them.

The car moved down the street while Cassandra held the steering wheel tightly in her hands and smiled. She had thought she had ruined the interview and was shocked that Peter had hired her. Darcy and the other young women Peter worked with were nice and she agreed that he was a true asshole. What she couldn't stop thinking about was his dark, chocolate brown eyes and she swore there was such sadness in his eyes.

"_Wonder what his damage is," _she thought and made a mental note to Google his name when she got home. After all, he was her new boss and she wanted to make she sure wasn't making a mistake. Her last boss nearly raped her during rehearsal under the stage and he would have succeeded if Cross hadn't swooped down from the open trap door in the stage and pecked a large hole in the jerk's head. He threatened to sue her but she countered with telling him that she would tell his wife, who happened to be the owner of the club where she worked and didn't buy his bullshit. After quitting that job was when Cassandra had trouble finding any club that wanted to hire her and she knew that the asshole must have black listed her.

"Jerk," Cassandra whispered then pulled the car into the drive and stopped the car. Getting out of the car, she removed the cage from the backseat then placed the cage on the ground and closed the door. Heading for the small porch that half wrapped itself around the Victorian style house, she stopped first to check the mailbox and removed the mail she found inside it. She walked up the stairs when she placed the cage down and looked left then right before looking at the door. With slight smile, Cassandra snapped her fingers and the front door unlocked then slowly opened. She picked the cage up when she walked inside and the door closed behind her.

The door to the lift pinged as Peter walked out and headed down the small hallway that led to the living room. He looked at the display cases as he softly smiled then stopped at the frame with his diploma. He didn't care that he bought it on E-bay, he liked it then walked closer, seeing the overhead light shimmering on the glass. He checked the other display cases then jumped when someone tapped his back and turned, seeing Jane behind him.

"Sorry," she said and he nodded. "I got a bit of a cleaning bug and did a little cleaning. I wasn't sure what I could or couldn't touch and that looked dusty."

"That's alright. Ginger used to…" he said then trailed off and Jane nodded, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Where's Charlie?"

"He and Amy are upstairs," she said and Peter smiled. "Oh, get out of the gutter. They're studying."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Come with me," she said as they walked down the hallway and he removed the wig, brushing his fingers through his hair until it was standing up on the top of his head. Jane barely smiled as they walked to the place in the wall where the door to the panic room was and she opened the panel, tapping the buttons with the code Peter told her would open the door. The door opened as they went inside and he looked down at the floor. He could still see Eddie's severed arm lying there as he shivered and Jane coughed, making him look at her. He walked to the screens when he looked at the one she was pointing to then looked at her. Jane did feel guilty about placing a camera in Charlie's room but Peter thought it was a good idea and looked at Charlie and Amy making out on his bed. Placing a finger to his lips, Peter pushed the intercom button and Jane quietly laughed.

"ATTENTION, THIS IS THE WARDEN! LIPS OFF THE BITCH!" he shouted as Charlie and Amy jumped while Jane slid down the wall while laughing and Charlie glared at the camera.

"Fuck you!" Charlie shouted and Peter saw that Amy was laughing.

"Hey, it's my house, Pal. That means you have to listen to me."

"No, I don't."

"But you have to listen to me, Sport," Jane said and Charlie sighed while Amy placed her bra and shirt back on.

"Now get your asses down here and study in the living room!" Peter said as he let go of the intercom button then helped Jane off the floor.

"Yes, Sir…Warden, Sir!" Amy said with a salute and she and Charlie moved off camera. Rolling his eyes, he took Jane's hand as they left the panic room and the door closed behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

London, England 1811

Giacomo adjusted his waistcoat as he walked into his father's den and quietly closed the doors. The large stone fireplace faced him as he looked up at the family portrait hanging over the fireplace and the fire crackled. The portrait included his sister, Antonia, and his two, younger brothers, Marcus and Roberto. Antonia had gotten married to the son of a shipping baron when she was sixteen and had three children and Roberto was still in university, study law. Marcus, no one knew what happened to him. Marcus disappeared four years ago and his father and mother refused to talk about what happened to him.

His father sat in the high back chair to his left and his mother sat in the high back chair to his right. Giacomo slowly walked toward them when he stood in the space between the high back chairs and placed his hands behind his back.

"Father, may I have words with you?" he asked when his father glanced up at him and the firelight flickered in the glass of the wire rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Giacomo thought it was time to confess to his nighttime activities as he felt his heart racing and flexed his fingers behind his back, waiting for his father to say something.

"Speak," he father suddenly said as he placed the book he was reading on his lap and his mother placed her book on her lap.

"First off," Giacomo said as he made a little cough and rocked slightly side to side. "I would like to squelch any thoughts of my sexual preference."

"Oh God…" his father sighed and his mother clenched her fingers into a fist.

"I have heard the rumors that I…that I prefer the company of men," Giacomo said then started pacing back and forth then stood next to the high back chair that his mother was sitting in and knelt down next to the high back chair, looking at her. "Mother, do you remember Lord Duncan's daughter?"

"Yes," she said with a nod of her head.

"Where did you find her during that gala Father through that summer?"

"I found her in…I found…." she said then blushed and looked at her hands. "She was in your bed with you, your friend, Gregory and one of the maids."

"What?" his father blustered and Giacomo softly smiled.

"Gregory and I had a foursome, Father. Well, it was more like two threesomes because Greg and I didn't like the idea of touching each other," Giacomo said and his mother softly giggled.

"My little Casanova," she whispered and Giacomo arched his eyebrow then patted her hand, standing up.

"Then why haven't you gotten married until now?" his father asked and Giacomo sighed. He was nearly forty and a man that wasn't married by then was either thought as diseased, ugly or of a different sexual preference and Giacomo walked to the high back chair and sat on the footstool, facing his father.

"I guess I wasn't ready. I had to grow up first and it's taken until now for me to feel like I was finally a grown man," Giacomo said and his father removed the wire rimmed glasses and looked at him.

"I see, but that doesn't explain your nightly activities."

"Yes. I agree, but there was a reason why I couldn't tell either of you about them," Giacomo said and his mother looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Is it something illegal?" she asked.

"What? Oh, no, it's not. Then again, some people might think it is," Giacomo said as his parents became confused.

"Explain," his father said and Giacomo sighed, looking down at his hands.

"Well…." Giacomo said then scratched the back of his neck. "I go hunting."

"You go hunting at night?" his mother asked and he nodded. He looked at his father when the color went out of his father's face and Giacomo titled his head to one side.

"Father, are you alright?" he asked, placing his hand on top of his father's hand.

"Oh shit," his father said then got up and walked to the fireplace. The fire crackled while they looked at him when he slowly looked up at the family portrait and Giacomo noticed he was looking at Marcus. "No. Not again."

His father walked to him when Giacomo stood up and his father back handed him, causing him to fall to the floor.

"Roberto!" she shouted as she got up then half ran to Giacomo, knelt down and held him.

"You are NEVER to go hunting again!" his father shouted as he stormed out of the den and Giacomo looked up at his mother, who was kissing the top of his head.

"Mother, what just happened?" he asked as she sighed and looked at the portrait then at him.

"Oh, God, I never thought I would be the one to tell you," she said and he gave her a confused look.

"I don't understand. Why did he assault me?" he asked and she stroked his hair.

"Well, you have to imagine my surprise when I learned that the man I married led a double life. You see, all first born sons of the Vincenzi family have been trained to…to…." she said then stopped and Giacomo softly smiled.

"They are trained to fight things of shadow and nightmare?" he teased and she nodded.

"But your father broke with tradition. He didn't want you to become a part of what he considered insanity. He wanted you to live a normal life. That is why we would have been happy if you were…" she said then paused and he softly smiled again.

"Well, it wasn't like I wanted to. It just happened," he said and she stroked his hair.

"When was the first time you went hunting?" she asked while he thought for a few seconds and lightly smiled.

"It was when I was away at university. A few friends and I were exploring this cave in the forest surrounding the campus and we found what we thought was a body. A couple of us ran off for help when the "body" woke up and attacked us. We ran but this thing was fast. I remembering breaking off a branch from a tree and charged at the thing. I knew it was foolish, but I plunged the stick into the thing's chest and it turned into dust. We swore never to speak of it after we had returned to campus, but I would go out into the forest in search of more of them."

"And that is what you do at night? You go looking for these things?" she asked as he sighed and nodded his head. He saw the pain in her eyes as she kissed the top of his head and he looked up at the portrait.

"Mother, what happened to Marcus?" he asked and sat up, sitting in front of her. She thought for a few minutes then lowered her head and he lifted her chin. "Please, tell me."

"It was the last time your father hunted. You were away at that wedding. Your father had gotten word that there was a nest of vampires just outside of Essex and he went to handle them. What he didn't expect was Marcus wanted to go with him. He refused, but Marcus had made a fuss and your father agreed to let him come with him. It was a few days later that your father returned without him and told me that the vampires had taken Marcus. They had gotten away but he found Marcus and…and he had to destroy him," she said as the tears rolled down her cheeks and he wiped the tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "He swore he would never hunt again."

"Oh," Giacomo whispered then held her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Please, Darling, promise me that you will never hunt again! I can't lose another son!" she sobbed as he rocked her and looked at the fire.

"I promise," he whispered as a piece of his soul crumbled because he knew, deep down, that he couldn't keep his promise. She sadly smiled at him as he hushed her and gently rocked her back and forth.

"Peter," was what his mind heard as he slowly opened his eyes and saw Jane standing next to the bed. He had decided to take a kip before the show as he softly smiled at her and sat up, wiping the sleep out of his eyes.

"What time is it?" he mumbled and she looked at the alarm clock.

"It's six fifteen," she said as Peter sighed, moved the duvet back and got out of bed. He wanted to get up at five thirty so he could get something to eat and he shrugged at her, heading for the bathroom. He came out a few minutes later to find a tray with a turkey and cheese sandwich, some coleslaw and a glass of Midori sitting on the bed as he laughed and shook his head. After eating, he walked back to the bathroom to brush his teeth again and closed the door behind him.

The door opened to the ladies' dressing room as Cassandra walked inside and placed the cage down next to the door. The walls, floors and ceiling were painted red with black Chinese dragons and symbols and the light from the paper covered lamps on the ceiling cast a soft glow in the room. To the left of the room was where the long dressing table was with several mirrors surrounded by small light bulbs and several metal and leather chairs sat in front of the dressing table. At the back of the room was the door leading to the bathroom. A leather couch sat next door to the bathroom and two more couches sat to the right of the room. There was a table in the back corner and some plates with fresh fruit, cheese and some crackers sat on top of the table. Two metal racks with costumes were next to the couches and the matching shoes sat on the shelf under the metal racks. The other young women looked at her as she smiled at Darcy and Darcy walked closer, folding her arms over her chest.

"So, you ready?" she asked and Cassandra nodded. "Well, go get dressed for the first act."

Cassandra walked to the metal rack where the costumes the young women wore were hanging on metal hangers and Cassandra picked up the hanger, looking at the costume. It was leotard made of a red material with what appeared to be a tail sewn on the back and was strapless. The front was cut almost to the crotch and she looked down, seeing that there were no shoes on the tray under the costumes.

"You have to be kidding me!" she said loudly as she held the costume against her body then folded the costume over her arm and headed for the door. They watched as she stormed out of the dressing room and Darcy smiled, titling her head to one side.

"Kick him in the balls for me, Sweetie," she said then walked to the dressing table and sat down.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The lift door pinged as Peter walked down the hallway that led the backstage when he saw Cassandra walking closer and he saw the anger on her face. She stormed closer when she slapped the costume against his chest and Peter looked down, holding the costume in his hand.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked as he arched his eyebrows up and a small smile appeared on his face.

"It's not funny. Do you really THINK that I am going to go out there dressed in…in…that?" Cassandra shouted as Peter held the costume out in front of him and tilted his head to one side.

"Is it too small?" he asked with a blank look on his face and she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"There's barely enough material to tell if it is or not!" she shouted and Peter sighed, handing her costume back.

"Well, I never had any of the other girls say they have a problem with it. If you don't want to wear it," he said then pointed to the exit. "There's the door. Don't let it hit your ass on the way out."

She watched him go down the hallway then walked toward one of the stage hands and Cassandra growled, heading down the hallway toward the ladies dressing room.

The audience sat down as the lights were lowered and the blue lights lit up the stage. A fine smoky mist spread across the stage as eerie music started playing and a spot light shined on the pentagram hanging over the stage. The young woman slithered out of the fog as they hissed and the lights clicked on, showing them wearing the she-devil costumes. Their hair hung over their breasts as they hissed and the red lipstick the young women wore shimmered in the light. Cassandra sulked near one of the fake rocks while she watched the young women slither and hiss at the audience when the eerie music flared and a bright flash of light nearly blinded her. The audience gasped when Peter appeared as if out of thin air and he glared at the young women, who were huddled together at stage right and he did a quick count with his eyes.

"_What the hell? Where is she?" _Peter thought when he realized that Cassandra was missing and hoped that she hadn't really taken him seriously about leaving. One of the young women twisted her head toward Cassandra as Peter turned around and saw her sitting near the fake rock. The light shimmered on her long black hair while it floated down her breasts and the light over her head seemed to shimmer off her skin. Even angry, she looked amazing and he walked toward her. Holding his hand out, he nodded and she took his hand as he helped her to her feet. She looked deeply into his chocolate brown eyes as she again saw sadness there and he gently placed his hand against her cheek. His hand felt warm and soft as his long fingers stroked her hair and he moved closer, placing his forehead against her forehead.

"Glad you didn't quit," he whispered then looked down at the costume. "And you do look killer in that."

Before she could move, he kissed her lips then tossed her to the floor and the audience applauded. She sat on the floor as she watched the rest of the act and she was impressed. Peter seemed so assure of himself as he performed his tricks and winked at her. One of the young women crawled across the stage as she hissed at him during the finale of the first act but he walked to Cassandra when he helped her stand up and walked her to one spot of the floor. He held her against him as she slid her fingers through the soft hairs on his chest and he looked down then smiled a wicked smile. The lights flared as Cassandra felt the floor give way and they slid down into darkness.

"What the fuck?" she shouted after they landed on the mattress under the stage and Peter held his hand out, helping her up.

"Cool exit, hunh?" he asked as she looked up at the trap door and smiled, nodding her head. "Now be a good girl and go get dressed for the next number."

He watched her head for the stairs then thought about how wonderful she looked under the lights and sighed. His leather pants felt a little tighter as he looked down and laughed at the slight bulge poking through the leather.

"Down, Boy," he whispered then walked to the stairs, going upstairs.

Cassandra liked the set for the vampire hunter set as she looked at the blue mist floating over the floor and cast iron candle holders with lit white candles. The black wood bed sat at the center of the stage and two, fake dead trees were on either side of the bed. A blue curtain had the pentagram on it and a blue light lit up the stage. She and the young women were wearing black silk gowns and matching long gloves and Darcy was lying on the bed. Darcy was wearing a white, gossamer gown and the eerie music filled the darkness. Peter appeared on the stage as the young women hissed at him but Cassandra only stood near the headboard and glared at him. The reason she was glaring was because the fake fangs she had in her mouth had come off and she didn't' want to swallow them.

"BEGONE, DEMONS!" Peter shouted as the young women hissed at him and Cassandra cupped her mouth as she tried not to laugh. Softly spitting the fangs out of her mouth, she glared at him when she saw the wires lifting Darcy off the bed and the audience gasped. Cassandra followed the other young women toward Peter as Darcy hissed and growled at Peter then grunted when the wires jammed and Cassandra looked at Peter.

"Oh fuck," he whispered when Darcy started floating left to right and he knew she was stuck. Cassandra jumped onto the bed as she started hissing and he looked at her. She crawled across the bed as he walked closer and removed the prop wooden stake out of the pocket of his leather coat. The other young women didn't know what was going on as Peter climbed onto the bed and they moved on the bed until they were kneeling near the sides of the bed and Peter raised the prop wooden stake. "DIE, FOUL SPAWN!"

The light went out just as Peter lowered the prop wooden stake toward Cassandra's chest and she screamed. The stage hands had raised Darcy into the air as the lights came on and the young women had disappeared. Cassandra had gotten off the bed during the time the lights were out and Peter was standing on the bed when the lights came back on. He waited when the audience applauded and he jumped off the bed, taking a bow.

"Pssst, Peter, we're running short. Do another trick," the voice said in the ear piece in his right ear and he looked at the audience. He didn't have another trick when he thought of something and smiled.

"Hmmmm," Peter said as he smiled at the audience and folded his arms over his chest. "Normally I would end the hunt here, but I think we have time for a quick and simple trick. I'll be right back."

The audience watched as he walked backstage as he watched the stage hands lower Darcy to the ground then he walked to Cassandra, who was with the other young women and they were softly laughing. "Ok, I know that was funny, but we're running short and need one more trick."

"What do you have in mind?" one of the young woman asked and he looked at Cassandra.

"Did you bring Tweety?" he teased and Cassandra sighed, rolling her eyes then nodded her head. "Go get him."

A few minutes later Peter and Cassandra walked back onstage and he saw they had left the vampire hunter set onstage. He walked to the center of the stage while Cassandra followed him and he looked at the audience.

"I think you've noticed that I have a new assistant. This is Sassy Cassy and this is…" he said and saw that Cassandra was glaring at him. "This is Cross. Now, this is a really easy trick and all I need is someone from the audience to help me."

"I'll do it," a low voice came from the darkness as they looked out at the audience and, for a split second, both Cassandra and Peter swore they saw a pair of red eyes glowing on the darkness. They waited while one of the ushers led someone onstage and they looked at him. The man was as tall as Peter and had long black hair that was tied back with a black cord. His face seemed to be carved from smooth marble and he was strikingly handsome. He was wearing a black suit, a white shirt, black socks and black shoes. A gold chain was hanging around his neck and the front of his shirt was opened enough that Cassandra could see the tips of the dark hair on his chest. His skin was tan but it was his eyes that made her want to hide behind Peter. His eyes were dark enough to be black and she felt uneasy when she looked into his eyes. He stopped in front of them when Peter unconsciously placed Cassandra behind him and Cross softly growled.

"_I didn't know falcons could growl," _Peter thought as he looked at the falcon and wondered for a second if it really was a falcon. The man looked at them when Peter's better instinct made him back up and Cassandra nearly tripped as they headed for the trap door.

"_What the hell is he doing?" _Cassandra thought when Peter locked eyes with the man and a shiver moved through him.

"Can Cross fly?" he whispered and slid her arm around him. The audience was muttering to themselves as the man came closer and Peter hoped they thought this was a part of the act.

"Yeah," Cassandra said softly, wondering what was going on.

"Tell him to fly offstage," he said and Cassandra flicked her wrist and Cross flew into the air then flew offstage. Before the man could take one more step, the lights went out while Peter stamped his foot and the trap door opened. Cassandra gasped as they hit the mattress and the trap door closed. He helped her up as he held her against him and she could feel his heart thundering against his hand. "Shit, that was close."

"Is it me or was there something really wrong with him?" she asked as he looked down at her and frowned.

"No, there was something definitely wrong with him," he said then smiled and brushed the hair from her eyes. "But never mind that. How did you like the show?"

"Not bad," she said as they laughed and Peter looked up at the ceiling, wondering just who or what that man was.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

London, England 1811

Giacomo walked through his mother's rose garden while he thought about his promise to his mother about not hunting the creatures that roam the night and his stomach churned in a tight knot. Knowing about what had happened to Marcus made his resolve to destroy all things that prey on innocent people burn in his heart as he rested his hand on the handle of the sword at his hip and his heart thudded hard against his ribs. He walked along the path when he heard something and looked up to see a falcon sitting on a branch in the old elm tree. Giacomo slowly walked closer as the falcon looked at him when it flew down then landed on the arm of the marble statue of Athena. His mother had statues commissioned to represent the Gods of Olympus and he would tease her about her naming them wrong, seeing that his family originally came from Rome.

"Considering that's really Minerva," he softly said when he looked at the falcon and noticed there were five black feathers forming a cross on the falcon's chest. "Cross?"

The falcon seemed to answer to the name as it titled its head to one side and Giacomo carefully reached out and stroked the feathers on the top of Cross' head. They locked eyes as Giacomo sensed there was more to the falcon than met the eye when the falcon flew into the air and Giacomo watched the falcon fly away. Sighing, he placed his hands behind his back and started walking back to the house.

"Darcy, did you see where the bird went?" Peter shouted as he led Cassandra toward the young woman and Darcy pointed toward the top of one of the light fixtures. Cassandra walked to the fixture when she whistled and Cross flew down and landed on her wrist. She hushed Cross while looking at Peter and he was pacing back and forth, grumbling to himself.

"What the hell happened?" Darcy asked as he looked at her then at Cassandra and sighed.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out," Peter said then walked to Cassandra and held his hand out. "Care to join me?"

"Ah, no, I think I'll just go get out of this outfit then go home," she said as Peter nodded his head and headed for the lift. She watched his ass swaying side to side as a small smile crossed her lips and Darcy gently nudged her.

"Look but don't touch. You don't know where he's been," Darcy said as Cassandra watched her walk away then flipped her off. Cassandra felt like there was more to Peter Vincent then just bad attitude when she headed for the women's dressing room and sighed.

The ping of the lift door opening made Jane look up as she watched Peter walk into the living room and removed the wig, placing the wig on the top of the statue of a naked woman straddled on a snake.

"What happened?" she asked, getting up off the chair and followed him to the bar. He removed the sideburns, moustache and beard and placed them on the top of the bar.

"I don't know. Where's Charlie?" he asked and she saw concern in his eyes.

"He's upstairs," she said when Peter pour some Midori in a glass then drank a mouthful and headed for the stairs.

"Charlie, get your ass down here!" he shouted as Jane walked to stand next to him and they heard Charlie coming down the stairs. He stood in front of Peter when he saw the concern in Peter's eyes and folded his arms over his chest.

"I didn't do it," he said while Peter paced back and forth then looked at him and frowned.

"You didn't do what?" he asked and Charlie sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Whatever it is you're pissed about," Charlie said and Peter gave him a blank look.

"Ooooh-kay, well, whatever you think you did, I forgive you. Now, I need you to come with me because…." Peter said then looked at Jane and she smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Ah, this is fang business. I'm going upstairs," Jane said then went upstairs and Peter looked at Charlie with a confused look on his face.

"What the hell is she talking about?" he asked and Charlie smiled.

"She means whatever you want me to help you with has to do with vampires," he said and Peter arched his eyebrows up and gave him a slightly stunned look on his face.

"Ah, well, that's what I want to find out. Come on. We're going down to security," Peter said as Charlie sighed then nodded and they walked toward the lift.

Peter had made friends with all the security guards that worked at the Hard Rock and he softly whistled while he and Charlie walked down the hallway and he had his hands behind his back. He had washed the tattoos off his neck and chest and changed into his blue and white windbreaker and smiled at the looks some of the women had given him while walking through the lobby.

"_Guess I should have changed out of my leather pants," _he thought when they came to the door that lead to the hotel security room when he heard voices coming from behind the door and stopped Charlie.

"Then you explain what's going on," one of the voices said while Peter knocked on the door and the voices stopped. He stood back when the door opened and a tall, young man with blonde hair cut close to his scalp looked at him and Peter smiled. The young man was wearing a black t-shirt with SECURITY on the front, tight jeans and white converse sneakers and he looked at Peter then at Charlie and sighed.

"Evening, Jack. Is there something wrong?" Peter asked and Jack Becker sighed, looking back in the room.

"We were looking at the footage from your show, Mister Vincent," he said and Peter nodded.

"And you were having a wank while watching my girls again?" Peter teased and Jack glared at him. "Sorry, what's wrong?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Jack said as he opened the door to let them into the room and Charlie looked around the room. The walls, tile floor and ceiling were stark white with light fixtures embedded in the ceiling and a shiver moved through Charlie as he thought about the hidden rooms in Jerry's house. Several chairs sat in front of a table that was under the multiple monitors showing the entire hotel. The penthouse and guest rooms were the only thing not on the monitors and Charlie saw the dance room. He hadn't been in there since what happened with Jerry and Amy and he felt a hand on his shoulder, making him look at Peter, who gave him a sympathetic look.

"I'm ok," Charlie whispered as Peter nodded then walked to the table and looked at the screen. On the screen was the show room and he looked at himself, Cassandra and Cross on the stage.

"Do you have audio?" he asked the young man with black hair that was sitting to his left and the young man nodded. He heard his voice ask for a volunteer and his skin crawled when he heard the voice saying "I'll do it." and a cold shiver moved through him.

"Fuck, that sounds like a growl," the young man said and Peter nodded. Peter sat on the chair when he looked at Jack then at the others and sat back in the chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"Look, this might sound like bullshit but can you guys leave?" Peter asked as they looked at each other and Peter sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'll give you the cell numbers for my girls if you do!"

Charlie got out of the way as the young men bolted out of the room and Charlie closed the door then walked to the chairs. Peter had hit the pause button to stop the video before sending the others out of the room while he watched Charlie sit down next to him and he pushed the play button. They watched Peter and Cassandra backing up but what they didn't see was what was making them back up and Charlie looked at Peter, who wiped his face with his hands.

"Oh shit, I was right," Peter sighed as he hit the pause button and sat back in the chair.

"It was a vampire?" Charlie asked and Peter gave him a look.

"Yeah, Genius, it was a vampire," he said as he looked at the screen then placed his elbows on the top of the table and placed his chin on his knuckles. "The question now is who is he and what does he want?"

"Did you get a good look at him?" Charlie asked as Peter looked at him and nodded. "Then I think I know how we could figure out who he is."

"What? Are you saying there's a vampire Who's Who out there and we can just skim through it until we find his picture?" Peter asked as Charlie softly laughed and nodded his head. "Oh, come on! I was kidding!"

"Well, I'm not. Eddie used to have this photo shop program in his computer that we used to make these shop pictures of the assholes that picked on us and put them on the web," Charlie said and Peter gave him a slightly stunned look.

"And he what? Got descriptions from vampire attack victims, kept a file and used it when he needed to find a vampire?" Peter asked.

"It's one of things he used to find Jerry. I found it when I was looking through his computer," Charlie said and Peter smiled,

"Shit, this Eddie guys sounds like a pip."

"He's the one that…" Charlie said when Peter remembered the kid that killed Ginger and his eyes went wide. Charlie nodded as Peter sighed and sat back in the seat.

"Do you think you can get his computer?" Peter said and Charlie nodded his head. Peter looked at the screen when he thought of something and stood up, walking to the door.

"Where are you going?" Charlie asked as Peter stood in front of the door then turned, walked back to the table and hit the delete button, erasing the footage.

"Come on. I need to check something," Peter said as Charlie nodded and they headed for the door, leaving the room after he opened the door.

Cassandra headed for her car as the cage gently thumped against her leg and she placed the cage on the ground after she arrived at the car. She opened the back door when she felt like she was being watched and Cross growled. She looked around the semi-empty parking lot when she knelt down and opened the cage. Cross hopped onto her wrist when she stood up and her heart nearly stopped when she saw someone standing on the other side of the car.

"_Oh fuck," _she thought as she looked at the man from the show room as he looked at her and his dark eyes locked with hers.

"Hello, cheri," he said with a hint of a French accent to his voice and Cross growled at him.

"Who are you?" she asked as the man walked around to her side of the car while she backed up and he placed his hands behind his back.

"Do names really matter?" he asked as she looked toward the stage door and wondered if she could make it to the door before he did anything. She gasped when she saw him standing right in front of her and she swore she didn't hear him walking toward her. "Hush, cheri, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Well, I might hurt you!" she said when Cross flew at the man and the man hissed as Cross flapped its wings at the man's face and raked its talons on the man's shirt. Cassandra turned as she ran toward the stage door while an inhuman scream filled the air and she ran faster. She made it to the stage door when she started pounding on the door and looked back at Cross and the man, who seemed to be floating slight off the ground and she whistled. Cross flew to her when the security guard opened the door and she ran by him and shouted for him to close the door.

"What the hell's going…" the security guard said then gagged after a hand grabbed the back of his neck and a loud snapping sound filled the air. Cassandra wanted to scream as the man let go of the security guard and the security guard crumbled to the ground. The man smiled then wiped his hand against his shirt and titled his head to one side.

"Oh, cheri, that was not nice!" the man said as he walked inside and his eyes were glowing in a red light. "Not nice at all."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The lift doors opened as Peter and Charlie ran down the hallway and headed toward the lobby. Peter skidded to a halt and Charlie nearly slammed into his back as Peter scanned the lobby for any sign of Cassandra. He didn't know why but he felt like she was in danger when something flew overhead and a loud squawking sound made him look up. Sitting on one of the poles that had the banner promoting his show was Cross and Peter pointed. He held his wrist out as Cross looked down at him and flew to his wrist. Peter was surprised that Cross didn't dig its talons into his wrist as he looked at the falcon and Cross titled its head side to side.

"Where is….?" Peter asked when he heard a woman screaming and looked toward the people, who were watching as Cassandra came running through the lobby and she was looking behind her. Cassandra had ran after whoever that man was took another step and she saw him running after her. She pumped her legs faster then stopped when the man stood in front of her and his red eyes shimmered in the blackness in his eyes.

"Stay away from me!" she shouted as the man moved closer and softly smiled.

"Now why would I want to do that?" he asked while Peter flicked his wrist and Cross flew into the air. The falcon screeched as the man turned then hissed and ran off. Cross flew to Cassandra as she held her wrist out and Cross landed on her wrist. Peter and Charlie ran toward her as Peter told the security guards that he would handle it and stopped in front of Cassandra.

"Are you alright?" Peter asked as he took Cross off her wrist and pointed for Charlie to hold his wrist up. Charlie held his wrist up while Peter placed Cross on Charlie's wrist then wrapped his arms around Cassandra. He placed her head against his chest when he felt her body go limp and he looked down, seeing that she had fainted. Carefully, he picked her up then shook his head as they walked across the lobby and headed for the lift. 

Cross' screeching echoed in her head when Cassandra softly moaned then rolled onto her side and sighed.

"Shut up," she mumbled then opened her eyes and blinked her eyes a few times. Sitting up, Cassandra pulled up the black duvet with golden silk leaves stitched on it and looked around the bedroom. The ceiling and walls were black with silver and gold leaves and branches shimmering against the black paint and the black curtains hung in front of the windows. The overhead lights were on as she looked up at the in ceiling lights and blinked. The furniture was made of black wood and had gold handles and a black carpet spread over the floor. There were two doors but both were closed and a wide variety of crosses were nailed to the walls. The only color in the room came from the paintings on the walls and the white marble pots in the corners of the room. She wasn't sure if the plants in the white marble pots were real as she looked at them then looked at the bedding. The sheets were a black silk as well as the pillow cases and the four poster bed was made of a black wood. Above the bed was a gold dragon with its head chasing its tail and the eyes of the dragon were blood red. Cross was perched on the head of the gold dragon as it screeched and she hushed the falcon.

"Where am I?" she whispered when the bed moved and she jumped, looking to her right. Peter was lying on his side on top of the duvet as she looked at him and some of his chocolate brown hair was in his eyes. She remembered looking into his chocolate brown eyes after he wrapped his arms around her and she saw the same sadness that she had seen in Peter Vincent's eyes. "No, it can't be."

Peter softly sighed when his eyes slowly opened and he looked up at her. Blinking his eyes a few times, he smiled at her when he stretched and yawned. Cross screeched as he looked up at the falcon, sat up and held his wrist up.

"Come down from there, Tweety. The last thing I need is falcon shit on my silk sheets," he said with a small smile when Cross flew down and landed on his wrist.

"Did you…Did you just call him "Tweety"?" Cassandra asked.

"Shit," he said as she touched his arm and he looked at him.

"Peter?" she asked and he nodded his head.

"You have to remember that I'm an illusionist. Nearly everything about me is a lie," he said as he gently brought his legs up and stroked Cross' chest.

"Well, I can see how walking around like that would make you stand out in a crowd," she teased and he slightly smiled.

"Yeah, when I'm out of makeup and wearing normal clothes, I can walk around the casino and no one bother's me," he said with a nod of his head then looked at her and sighed. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. Who was that?"

"Now that might be hard to believe but I think it was a vampire," he said and she gave him a suspicious look.

"Vampires aren't real," she said and he sighed, stroking the top of Cross' head.

"Believe me. Vampires are very real!"

"And how do you know?" she asked as she tilted her head to one side and crossed her arms under her breasts. That was when she noticed that she was only wearing a black, silk shirt and gave him a stunned look. "You…you undressed me?"

"Well, no, I just loaned you my shirt. Charlie's mom did the rest."

"Who's Charlie and why did his mother have to undress me?" she asked with a slight angry tone to her voice and he smiled.

"Charlie is…well, he is my apprentice of sorts and he and his mother live with me," Peter said and hoped she would believe him. He was glad when she nodded her head for him to continue and he brushed his fingers through his hair, making it stand up on his head. "You fainted and the only place I could think of to take you where that bastard could follow was up here."

"And where are we exactly?"

"This is my penthouse," he said and she nodded her head.

"And you slept…?" she said with a nod toward the bed and he softly smiled, got up of the bed, walked to the high back chair that was sitting near the door and placed Cross on top of the chair. She noticed that he was still wearing the clothes her wore the night before and he walked back to the bed, lying down on his back. "Thank you."

"Heh, no problem," he said and she noticed the dimples when he smiled. "So, are you hungry? Jane, Charlie's mom, makes a great tomato and cheese omelet."

Cassandra covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh at him wiggling his eyebrows up and down and he placed his hands behind his head. With a nod of her head, she watched him get up then head for the bathroom and opened the door. He turned the light on when he gestured with his hands for her to get up and get going and she laughed, moved the duvet back and got up, walking to the bathroom. She gave him a snotty look as she walked into the bathroom then closed the door behind her and he smiled, rolling his eyes and shook his head.

The smell of food cooking filled her nose as Cassandra walked down the stairs and slightly yelped at the cold floor. She looked around the living room when she walked to the window and looked out at the city. She had never seen Las Vegas from that high up as she smiled and place her hand on the glass. Even though it was early, the glass was warm and she felt the warmth wrapping around her. She thought about how nice it felt to wake next to Peter and how his long lashes feathered over his cheeks. She had noticed the scattering of freckles on his face and how peaceful he looked. Peter's reflection appeared in the glass as she turned around and he softly smiled at her. Cross was sitting on his shoulder as Cassandra tried not to laugh and he reached up and stroked Cross's wing.

"Looks like you made a friend. Cross doesn't like most people," she said and Peter looked at Cross, who butted its head against the side of Peter's head and made a soft cooing sound.

"Yeah, looks like," Peter said with a nod of his head then held his hand out and she placed her hand in his. His long fingers folded over her fingers as he led her to the kitchen and Jane and Charlie smiled at her. Charlie was sitting at the table while Jane placed the plates on the table and Peter placed his hand on Cassandra's shoulder. "Jane and Charlie Brewster, this is Cassandra Lake. Sassy Cassy, this is Charlie and his mother, Jane."

"Don't call me that," Cassandra said with a cool tone to her voice and Charlie softly laughed.

"Yes, Peter, that's rude," Jane said as Peter gave her a stunned look then rolled his eyes, smiled and nodded his head.

"Sorry!" he said with a snooty tone and everyone laughed. He pulled the chair out so Cassandra could sit then moved the chair in and Charlie looked at Cross sitting on Peter's shoulder and smiled. Peter looked at him then arched his eyebrows up and placed his hands on his hips. "What?"

"Shouldn't that be a parrot?" Charlie teased while pointing at Cross with the fork in his hand when Cross hopped off Peter's shoulder, walked across the table then stood near Charlie's plate and Charlie looked at him. Before anyone could move, Cross carefully climbed onto the plate, pooped on the eggs on the plate, gave Charlie a stern look then flew back to Peter's shoulder and gently dug its talons into Peter's shoulder. "Oh gross!"

"Guess he told you," Peter said as Cassandra and Jane laughed then Jane went to get Charlie a new breakfast and Peter stroked Cross' wing.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

London, England 1811

Giacomo walked along the path in the garden while the full moon shone in the dark sky and he looked up at the stars twinkling overhead. He breathed in the cool air as he adjusted the black, cotton cape on his shoulders and sighed. He jumped when something moved in the darkness and he drew the silver blade sword, holding the handle tightly in his hands.

"Who is there? Show yourself!" he demanded as the shadows blended around him and he heard only the sound of the wind in the trees. He looked around with his eyes while his heart slammed in his chest and his fingers tightened on the handle of the sword. "I must warn you! I'm armed!"

"I can see that you are armed. Do you mind putting that away before you injure yourself?" a female voice asked as he looked to his left and saw someone walking out of the shadows. A wooden staff with an iron lantern hanging on the end of it made a soft thump on the ground as the figure came closer and he could just see that it was Constance. She was wearing a long white gown with black, leather boots on her feet and a white, fur cape was draped over her shoulder. What shocked him more was Cross sitting on her right wrist and the falcon looked at him, sending a cold chill through his body.

"Constance? What are you doing here? How did you get here?" he asked as he looked around and Constance smiled at him, standing in front of him.

"Would you believe that I walked?" she asked while stroking her fingers on his cheek and Giacomo blinked his eyes a few times.

"What? That's impossible," Giacomo said and she sweetly smiled at her.

"Nothing is impossible for a witch," she whispered and he gave her a stunned look. He wasn't sure if she was really a witch, but the fact that she was standing in front of him when he knew she lived miles away made him doubt what she was and if….

"Are you having doubts?" she asked with a hurt look in her eyes as he felt a cold lump in the pit of his stomach and he placed the silver blade sword in the scabbard.

"I am unsure. If you really are a witch, how do I know that you haven't bewitched me?" he asked and she sighed, looking down at the ground.

"Well, you aren't the first one to voice their concerns about what I have or haven't done. Kristina has voiced her concerns as well," she said and saw the stunned look on his face. "No, do not be angry with her. I would have concerns as well if my master had suddenly decided to marry someone no one has heard of before. But, like I told her, like there are good people and bad people, there are good witches and bad ones. I am a white witch and would never do anything to hurt you or your family. My grandmother is also a white witch."

She had noticed that he was looking at the silver blade sword while she was talking and his cheeks grew dark as he blushed. He felt foolish and guilty for doubting her as he slightly smiled and she saw the barest trace of dimples.

"I feel like a right fool. And you have bewitched me. How else can you explain why I fell so fast for you," Giacomo said as she laughed and Cross seemed to giggle as well.

"No, Darling, it was YOU that bewitched ME! Do not let your opinion of yourself blind you. You are very handsome and could have any women. The fact that your heart sought me out makes me wonder if there isn't magic within you," she said and placed her hand against his chest. Cross had jumped to her shoulder as she felt Giacomo's heart thumping against her fingers and he smiled at her, holding her hand in his.

"If I might ask, what is Cross? He isn't just a falcon, is he?" Giacomo asked and Cross tilted its head to one side, blinking its eyes a few times.

"No, he isn't. Cross is my familiar," she said, gently stroking Cross' wing.

"What exactly is a familiar? Isn't it some sort of demon?" Giacomo asked and Cross rose up and growled at him.

"Well, there are some familiars that are demonic, but most are considered to be an aspect of one's life and reflects that self. They are permanent and appear when needed. Cross is the exception to the rule. He's always around," she teased and Cross cooed softly.

"Is he always a falcon?"

"Yes, most of the time, but he can be anything that walks or flies," she said and Giacomo nodded.

"But I still don't understand how you are here," Giacomo said and she gently kissed his lips, sending a cool tingle through his body.

"There are paths that you cannot see, My Love. These paths weave between this world and the world of magic and only a select few can walk then without going mad."

"And you can walk them?" he asked and she nodded.

"But there are things there that do not abide the light. Thus the reason for this lamp," Constance said with a nod to the lantern and he nodded his head. Suddenly Cross growled when she turned around and Giacomo stood next to her, sliding a protective arm around her waist. He removed the silver blade sword out of the scabbard when something growled in the darkness and red eyes shimmered near the trees.

"Show yourself!" Giacomo shouted as he gently moved Constance behind him and held the handle of the silver blade sword in his hands. They watched as the figure walked closer and the light from the lantern grew brighter, allowing them to see the man walking out of the darkness. The man was as tall as Giacomo and had long black hair that was tied back with a black cord. His face seemed to be carved from smooth marble and he was strikingly handsome. He was wearing a white, long sleeve shirt, the long sleeves fluttered in the wind, black trousers that hugged his hips, black socks and black, leather boots that ended at his top of his knees. The gold handle of a sword hanging in the scabbard on the man's left hip shimmered in the light and the man softly smiled, stroking the gold handle with his long fingers. A gold chain was hanging around his neck and the front of his shirt was opened enough that Giacomo could see the tips of the dark hair on his chest. His skin was tan but it was his eyes that made the blood in Giacomo's veins run cold. His eyes were dark enough to be black and Giacomo sensed the evil behind his eyes. The man stopped in front of them when Giacomo held the handle of the silver blade sword tighter and Cross softly growled. "Who are you, Sir?"

"There is no need for such bravado, Mom Ami. I can see that you are afraid of me," the man said and Giacomo clenched his jaw.

"I asked you who you are, Sir!" Giacomo asked and the man softly smiled, doing a little bow.

"Oui, I am Jean-Phillipe De'Avante. Who are you, Mon Ami?" Jean-Phillipe asked.

"I am Giacomo Vincenzi," Giacomo said with a short bow and Jean-Phillipe's eyes flared.

"Are you the son of Roberto Vincenzi?"

"You know my father?" Giacomo said and Jean-Phillipe softly smiled.

"We have…met," he said and Giacomo glared at him. Jean-Phillipe moved closer as Giacomo held the sword up and Jean-Phillipe smiled. "You reminded me of him. He also had a fake bravado about him."

"Are you calling my father a coward, Sir?" Giacomo demanded and Jean-Phillipe laughed.

"Oui, that is what I am calling him!" he said when Giacomo roared and ran at him. Giacomo nearly lost his footing when Jean-Phillipe turned into mist and his laughter echoed around them. "We'll see each other again, Mon Ami! Be assured of that!"

Constance ran to Giacomo as Jean-Phillipe' laughter echoed around them and Giacomo wrapped his arms around her.

"He will come back," she whispered then placed her face against his chest and Giacomo looked up at the dark sky.

"Yes, I'm sure he will," he said and kissed the top of her head.

Peter woke with a start when he sat up and pulled his legs up. He had decided to take a quick kip after rehearsal and the sweat rolled down his back and chest. His heart was going double time against his chest when he got up and slightly staggered toward the bookcase near the bathroom. The room seemed to tilt and swim around as spots blinked in his eyes and his eyes rolled into his head while he slid to the floor with a loud thud.

A low beeping sound filled his ears when Peter slowly opened his eyes and looked to his right. The green light moved up and down and a green 80 blinked at him. He then noticed the plastic tubing taped to the back of his hand and the plastic clip on his right index finger and he looked up at the plastic bag hanging from the pole next to the bed, He sighed when he realized that the air smelt different and reached up, feeling the plastic tubing across his nostrils.

"Don't touch that," a female voice said when he felt someone take his hand and looked up at Cassandra. She looked tired as she pushed the call button and Peter blinked his eyes a few times.

"What?" he softly asked and she hushed him, brushing the hair from his eyes.

"You scared the shit out of us," she whispered and he gave her a sad puppy look. "Jane and I were talking when we heard this loud thud coming from upstairs. Imagine our surprise when we found you on the floor."

"I'm sorry," he whispered when the nurse walked into the room and Cassandra stood at the foot of the bed. He smiled at her while the nurse examined him and Cassandra placed her hands on his toes, which he wiggled from under the blanket. The nurse left a few minutes later and told Cassandra not to let him talk too much. Cassandra sat on the edge of the bed as she took his hand and he wrapped his fingers around her fingers. "What did you tell Darcy?"

"I told her that you passed out. She told the management that you have the flu and they cancelled the next few shows."

"Fuck," he said as she hushed him. "I am so fired."

"I don't think so. People get sick. Now just close your eyes and…" she said and he gave her a frightened look.

"No, I don't want to go to sleep!" he said as she hushed him and stroked his hair back.

"I'll be right here," she said as he sighed then nodded his head, closed his eyes and she watched him drift off to sleep. Moving closer, she gently kissed his lips as he smiled then she sat back and took his hand her hers. "I'm not going anywhere."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The door opened when Charlie and Jane walked into the room and Cassandra hushed them. Peter had come back from getting some tests done as they stood near the bed and Charlie noticed that Peter looked really tired. Peter had asked Charlie to hang several crosses around the room and on the door and Charlie sighed, looking down at his feet.

"Why are you three looking at me like I'm dead?" Peter softly growled with his eyes half opened and smiled at them.

"Well, you're the one that scared the shit out of us," Jane said then leaned over and kissed the top of Peter's head.

"Yeah, we thought you died," Charlie said as Peter sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Did the doctor tell you what happened?" Jane asked and Peter nodded.

"Yeah, he ruled out heart trouble, but he harped on the fact that I drink too much," Peter sighed and rubbed his eyes with his fingers.

"So you had a black out?" Jane asked and Peter shook his head.

"No, that's not what happened. I told the doctor that I had this dream and got up too fast. He agreed that my blood pressure went down to my feet and that's why I passed out," he said then saw the look on Jane's face and pushed the button to make the bed move until he was sitting up. Wiggling his finger at her, he watched as she sat on the edge of the bed, leaned closer and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry."

"You should be," she teased and lightly poked his chest. Sitting up, she kissed his cheek then got up and Peter looked at Charlie.

"Did the doctor say when you can get out of here?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, he said I can go home tomorrow. You go get that thing we were talking about?" Peter asked while Charlie thought for a few seconds then nodded and Peter slightly smiled. "Got a pen and paper? There's something I need you to look up."

Jane took a small notepad and a pen from her purse as she handed the pad and pen to Peter and he rolled his eyes then wrote on the piece of paper. He handed the pad and pen back to her when she looked at her watch and sighed, looking at Charlie.

"Come on, Charlie. We've got to go," she said as Charlie nodded his head and they headed for the door. She turned back to look at Peter as he smiled at her and waved. Shaking her head, Jane softly laughed as she led Charlie out of the room and the door closed behind them. Peter looked at Cassandra while she stood near the window and was looking out at the parking lot. Pulling the plastic tubing off, he moved the blankets down when he gently swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He didn't care if the lights were going faster on the heart monitor as he took hold of the metal pole and the side of the bed. He slowly stood up as his head swam around a little bit and he held onto the metal pole with both hands.

"What the hell?" the nurse asked as she came into the room and Cassandra turned around, seeing Peter standing near the bed and he smiled at her.

"I agree. What the hell are you doing?" Cassandra demanded as she walked to the bed and stood in front of him.

"I…uh…I wanted to come over there and hold you," he said as he scratched the back of his neck and looked like a little boy that had been caught doing something wrong.

"No, what you are doing is getting back in bed!" she said and gently pushed him onto the bed. The nurse helped Peter back under the blankets then examined him and Peter pouted, looking down at his chest. "Damn right you should pout! What if you collapsed again?"

"Well, I didn't," he said then looked at Cassandra and she loved how his lower lip stuck out a bit.

"Is he alright?" Cassandra asked and the nurse nodded her head, placing the stethoscope around her neck. Peter pulled his head back as the nurse tried to put the plastic tubing back up his nose and folded his arms over his chest. "Let her put it back on."

"I can breath perfectly fine. Thank you!" he said when Cassandra took his hand and he gave her a hurt puppy look. "I don't like it."

"It's just until tomorrow," Cassandra said then kissed the top of his head and he sighed, looking at the nurse with an angry look on his face.

"Fine," Peter sighed as the nurse placed the plastic tubing back on him and pushed the little plastic tubing up his nostrils. They watched the nurse leave the room when Cassandra sat on the edge of the bed and he brushed the hair out of his eyes. He looked at her when he smiled and patted the mattress. "Care to join me?"

"A little forward, aren't you?" she teased as he wiggled his eyebrows up and down and she carefully went to lie down on the bed, snuggling closer. She placed her head on his shoulder as he took her hand and placed her hand on his chest. She felt the soft rising and falling of his chest as he looked at the ceiling then pushed the button, making the bed go down until they were lying flat. He blinked his eyes a few times then looked at her and she sweetly smiled at him.

"I am sorry that I scared you," he finally said as she nodded her head and he took her hand in his and looked at her fingers. He stroked his thumb against her fingers while she looked at him and he half closed his eyes then made a deep sigh. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she said and he slightly smiled at her.

"Are you…are you a witch?" he asked with a serious tone in his voice and she took her hand back, sitting up. "What's wrong?"

"Why did you ask me that?" she asked and he wondered if he had insulted her.

"Well, it's rare to see a female magician. Don't get me wrong! I'm all for equality, but I was wondering if you were…um…if you were a witch."

"What if I am?" she asked and he heard the anger in her voice.

"Then it would explain a few things. I mean it takes my girls hours and hours of practice to get the tricks right, but you got it like that!" he said and snapped his fingers, making her smile.

"I'm a fast learner," she said and he arched an eyebrow.

"Uh….right!" he said as she folded her arms under her breasts and he noticed that the top of her breasts were peeking out of the top of her shirt.

"Hey, eyes up here!" she said while pointing her fingers at her eyes and he softly laughed.

"Look, like I said, I don't care if you are a witch. I have a lot of Wiccan and witch friends. Just tell me this. Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" he asked in a high voice that made her snort a laugh. He grinned as she went to lie down again then she placed her head on his shoulder and he stroked her hair.

"I am a good witch. Are you a good wizard or did you train with Draco Malfoy?" she asked and his eyes went wide.

"No, I think it was Ron or Harry," he teased as she giggled and he kissed her fingers. Sighing, Peter slowly closed his eyes while she watched him drift off to sleep then looked at the heart monitor, watching the light moving up and down.

Charlie looked at his laptop when he turned the laptop on and the screen clicked on. A picture of him and Amy with her arms around his shoulders made him smile as he looked at the tiny folder icons to the left and he clicked on the one marked EDDIE. Charlie clicked on the icon when he looked at the video clips as he sighed then moved at the file icon marked WHOSE WHO/VAMPIRES. He opened the file when he saw the blood red lettering at the top of the page and the search icon. He took the piece of paper out of his pocket when he opened the piece of paper and looked at the name Peter had written on the piece of paper.

"Who the fuck is Jean-Phillipe De'Avante?" Charlie asked then typed on the keyboard and pushed the search button. He watched as the screen went blank and Charlie sat back on the chair. Jane had lit the fire in the gas powered fireplace and Charlie watched the fire.

"Charlie, dinner's ready!" Jane called from the kitchen as Charlie placed the laptop of the chair when he got up and headed for the kitchen. The screen clicked back on when the information appeared then WARNING: VIRUS DETECTED! appeared on the screen and the screen went dark.

The ping from the lift echoed in the room when the doors opened and Cassandra and Jane led Peter into the hallway. Darcy had come to see Peter to assure him that he still had a job and he was happy to see the displace cases and cabinets. He noticed that the glass had been clean as he smiled at Jane and she gently squeezed his fingers. They walked down the hallway when they came to the living room as he looked at the bar and noticed that all the bottles were gone.

"What the hell?" he asked as he walked to the bar then turned around and looked at Jane. "Where's my booze?"

"I put most of it in the panic room. The rest is in the bar refrigerator. Don't try to open it. I locked it," she said while he walked around to the other side of the bar and looked down. He then looked at the panic room door and sighed, placing his elbows on the top of the bar and placed his chin in his hands.

"Fuck," he sighed when he heard a noise and looked up to see Cross perched on the railing at the top of the stairs. He smiled when Cross flew down then landed on the bar and Peter patted the top of Cross' head. "Ok, no booze. Can I have a cigarillo?"

"No," Jane said with a shake of her head and he sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Then what can I have?" he asked as he walked around the other side of the bar and walked to them. He stood in front of them when Jane looked at Cassandra then smiled and they walked to him, hugging him. "Ah."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

The receptionist was looking at the screen when she heard a low gasping sound and looked up to see what was wrong. Peter, dressed in only his leather pants and was made up in his wig, makeup and jewelry, light coughed and sniffed and the stubble on his chin and cheeks made the goatee look fuller. The wig was sticking up to give him the look like he had just gotten up and a handkerchief was barely tucked in the top of the leather pants. He was also barefoot and he slightly smiled at some of the women looking at his bottom. He looked tired and pale as he stopped in front of the reception desk and leaned his lower arms on top of the desk.

"Do you have tonight's paper?" he asked in a sleepy voice and the receptionist nodded, leaning down then stood up and handed him the newspaper. "Thanks."

The receptionist watched him walk away as he covered his mouth to cough and made a loud sniffing sound. Peter nodded his head at some of the guests and staff as he headed for the hallway that led to the lift when Darcy walked closer and he slightly smiled at her. She had told the management that he had the flu and he decided to show the staff and guests that he wasn't just sleeping off a bender. Jane and Cassandra argued that he should be in bed, but he told them he would go straight to bed after he got back. The idea of crawling under the silk sheets and sleeping sounded good because he was feeling tired and he folded his arms over his bare chest, lightly coughing with his mouth closed.

"Hello," he grumbled as she stood in front of him and he coughed with his mouth closed.

"What the fuck are you doing down here? Are you trying to make everyone sick?" she asked a little too loud for his liking, but he knew she was just trying to go along with the whole "Peter is sick" thing and sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"I wanted the paper," he said as he tapped the newspaper on the top of her head and she gently swatted his hand away.

"If you wanted the paper, why didn't you call down and have me bring it up to you? Now, come on. Let's get you back to bed," she said as she took his arm and led him toward the hallway. They stopped in front of the doors to the lift as he smiled at her and she rolled her eyes, pushing the button.

"That was a bit much, yeah?" he asked as she laughed and nodded her head. He walked into the lift after the doors opened and waved at her while the doors closed and he pushed the button. He smiled as he leaned against the wall then watched the lights moving and tapped the newspaper against his left hip.

London, England 1811

Roberto was reading a book when the French doors opened and he looked up, seeing Giacomo, Constance and Cross coming into the room and Giacomo closed and locked the French doors. Roberto watched as Giacomo moved to the other French doors then locked the French doors and Roberto placed the book on the small table near the high back chair then stood up.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded then looked at Constance and was slightly stunned to see her dressed in a long white gown with black, leather boots on her feet and a white, fur cape was draped over her shoulder. What worried him more was the wooden staff iron lantern hanging on the end of the wooden staff. "Constance, is that you?"

"Yes, Sir," she said with a nod of her head and he looked at Giacomo, who walked to Constance and slid her hand into his hand.

"Where is Mother?" Giacomo asked when his mother came into the room and closed the door when she saw Giacomo and Constance.

"What is going on in here?" she asked then looked at Constance. "How did you get here?"

"I walked," Constance said with a hint of a smile on her face and Roberto looked from her to Giacomo.

"What foolishness is this?" he demanded and Giacomo sighed, sliding Costance against him and Cross flew from her wrist to his shoulder and settled its head against the side of Giacomo's head.

"I think it's time you told them the truth," Constance whispered and Giacomo sighed, nodding his head.

"Mother, Father, Constance is a witch," he said as his mother's eyes went wide and Roberto glared at them.

"What madness is this? She is not a witch!" he said and Constance softly smiled.

"Yes, I am," she said and Roberto stormed over to her and pulled her away from Giacomo.

"Hell Spawn, I demand you release my son or I will kill you!" Roberto shouted when Giacomo balled his hands and stood between them with anger and rage in his eyes.

"I will not have you talk to her like that!" he shouted as Roberto growled and slapped Giacomo hard enough to make his head snap back. Blood rolled from his nose as Giacomo growled and punched his father in the face. Roberto hit the floor as his mother gasped and she ran to Roberto, knelt down on the floor and held him while looking up at Giacomo.

"How dare you strike your father?" she shouted as he softly laughed and used the handkerchief he removed from his pocket to wipe the blood from his nose.

"Yet it is alright for him to strike me?" Giacomo demanded when Constance slid her arm around his arm and looked down at them.

"Tell me this. If I was hell spawn as you say, why did I pick Giacomo over you, Sir? You are the patriarch of the family and have all the power. I could have easily enchanted you to fall in love with me and, once we were wed, I would get rid of you and your spawn. The truth is I was as stunned as you when Giacomo asked me if he could court me, even more so when he asked for my hand in marriage. If anyone should release someone, it is he," Constance said as she looked lovingly at Giacomo and his mother looked from her to Giacomo.

"She is right, Darling," she said as Roberto looked at Constance then sighed and Giacomo's mother helped him to his feet.

"Can you assure me that you are not a practitioner of the Black Arts?" he asked then walked to her and lifted Constance's chin until they locked eyes with each other.

"No, I have never practiced the Black Arts," she said with a calm tone in her voice and they watched Roberto as his eyes gazed into her eyes. Roberto gently smiled when he let go of her chin then looked at Giacomo and blinked.

"Now, what is this business of you locking the doors? What has happened?" Roberto asked as Giacomo started pacing back and forth and placed his hands behind his back.

"I was talking a walk in the garden," he finally said and looked at him with fear in his eyes while the image of Jean-Phillipe De'Avante appeared in his mind's eye, making him shiver. "I was surprised when Constance appeared from the darkness of the forest but it was the…person that appeared afterwards."

"There was someone else with her?" his mother asked and glared at Constance.

"I did not know he was there," she said but could tell that Giacomo's mother didn't believe her.

"What did this…person look like?" Roberto asked and Giacomo sighed, walked to the high back chair and held onto the top of the high back chair.

"He was as tall as I am and had long black hair that was tied back with a black cord. His face seemed to be carved from smooth marble and he was strikingly handsome." Giacomo said and his father frowned and blinked his eyes a few time.

"What was he wearing?"

"He was wearing a white, long sleeve shirt, black trousers, black socks and black, leather boots that ended at his top of his knees. His skin was tan but it was his eyes that made my blood run cold."

"What do you mean?" his mother asked and Giacomo sighed, puffing air out of his mouth.

"His eyes were dark enough to be black and I could sense the evil behind them," Giacomo said as his mother covered her mouth with her hand and Roberto walked closer, placing his hand on Giacomo's shoulder.

"Did he speak to you?" he asked and Giacomo nodded his head.

"He asked me my name and was surprised when I told him my last name. He then got this look in his eyes and said that he knew you."

"He called me by name?"

"Yes," Giacomo said, nodding his head.

"Did he say anything else?"

"Yes, he said we would see each other again," Giscomo said and Roberto's heart squeezed tightly in his chest, skipping a beat or two.

"Did he…" his father said then stopped for a second and Giacomo saw the color fading out of his father's face. "Did he have an accent?"

"Yes, I do believe so. He sounded…Well, he sounded French," Giacomo said and his father's face went deathly pale. "Father, are you alright?"

"Did he say his name?" his father said with concern in his voice and balled his hand into a fist.

"Yes, he said his name was Jean-Phillipe De'Avante," Giacomo said while Roberto's eyes went wide then Roberto collapsed to the floor and Giacomo's mother called his name but Giacomo stopped her before she went to comfort him.

"Constance, take my mother and go get some help," he said as Constance nodded and his mother glared at him. "Mother, go, let me handle this!"

"If he dies then so does she!" his mother growled as she pointed at Constance and stormed out of the room. Giacomo knelt on the floor when he slid his arms around Roberto and gently held him.

"Promise…me," Roberto barely whispered as Giacomo looked at him and frowned.

"Promise you what?" he asked and Roberto's ragged breathing filled his ear as he tried to grab onto Giacomo's sleeve.

"Promise…me…that you…will not…go after… Jean-Phillipe De'Avante," Roberto barely whispered and Giacomo gave him a confused look.

"I don't understand. Who is Jean-Phillipe De'Avante?"

"He is…the one…that turned…Marcus into…a monster," Roberto whispered and Giacomo's eyes widen. Roberto looked at Constance when he smiled weakly at her and she knelt down next to her. "Take care…of…him. He will…need you…now."

A low, guttering breath came from his throat as Roberto closed his eyes then his body went limp against Gaicomo and Giacomo placed his head back and screamed.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: This chapter involves sex. Please skip if you're not old enough to read it.

Chapter Twelve

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

"NO!" Peter shouted as he sat up on the bed and placed his legs up, hold his head in his hands. His body was shaking as the tears dribbled down his cheeks and the door slammed open. Jane, Charlie and Cassandra ran into the room as Jane turned the lights on and Peter went to lie on his right side, pulling the pillow over his head. Cassandra and Jane slowly walked to the bed when Jane sat on the edge of the bed and reached over, gently rubbing his back. They all jumped when Peter screamed and curled into a ball.

"Peter?" Cassandra asked while standing on the other side of the bed and lifted the pillow up, looking down at him.

"Is he going through TDs?" Charlie asked as Jane glared at him then walked to the door and led him out of the room. Even though she had only known Cassandra for a few days, Jane had noticed how easy it was for Peter to interact with Cassandra and quietly closed the door behind them.

"Peter?" Cassandra asked again when he looked up at her and she brushed the hair from his eyes. The duvet had moved down enough for her to see that he was naked and she gently stroked his hair. She could feel him shaking as she moved closer and sat near the headboard. Peter move closer when he snuggled closer and she slid her arm around his shoulders, gently rubbing his back. Peter breathed hard through his nose when he reached up with a shaky hand and softly stroked Cassandra's cheek. She gasped when he started kissing her neck and softly sucked on her earlobe. A cool shiver moved through her while he sat up and she noticed that his eyes were glassy. He kissed her lips as he gently took her head in his hands and slowly stroked behind her ears.

"_Is he doing what I think he's doing?" _she thought while feeling his tongue poking at her lips and she opened her mouth, feeling his tongue slid over her tongue. Jane had let him have a glass of Midori with dinner and she could barely taste it on his tongue. She had only tasted Midori once and she gently grabbed onto some of his thick hair and he lightly growled in her mouth. Her hands slid down his neck while she placed her forehead against his forehead and he slowly blinked his eyes. Softly smiling, she arched her head back as he kissed her neck and a cool shiver moved through her as his tongue slid over the pulse point. Cassandra felt her nipples growing hard under the nightshirt that Jane had loaned her and she gently moved him back enough for her to take the nightshirt off.

"Yes," she whispered after seeing the look in his eyes and his hands shook as he reached for her breasts. His long fingers moved over her breasts as her breath caught in her chest and he lowered his head, slipping his lips over her nipple. His tongue made her nipple pebble as he softly suck and nibbled on her nipple and a low growl bubbled in her throat. He stroked her breasts as he switched to her other nipple and she grabbed gently onto his hair. Kissing down her chest, he stopped to allow her to lie on her back when he carefully climbed on top of her then looked over at the night table to his left and she smiled up at him. "Is that were the condoms are?"

He nodded his head then carefully got off of her and opened the drawer, removing the silver package. She got off the bed as he handed the silver packet and she opened the silver packet, placing the condom on his slightly hard cock. She led him to the bed when she went to lie on her back and wiggled a finger for him to come back to bed. He slowly climbed on top of her when he started kissing down her body and her body shivered as he stroked her sides, the tip of his tongue tracing her navel.

"Yes," she said as he looked up at her and a soft smile crossed his face. He stroked her crotch as she shivered and he gently bent her legs up, massaging her inner thighs with his long fingers. She watched as he fingered her curls then slid a finger inside her and she pressed her lips together. Sliding in another finger, he found her clit as he stroked her clit and her body jerked on the bed. Little white lights flashed before her eyes as he sent waves of pleasure and pain through her then lowered her legs and straddled her hips. Smiling a lustful grin, Peter slid his hard cock inside her and she tightened around his cock. Pointing to the headboard, Peter nodded his head as Cassandra held onto the headboard and he started pushing and rocking against her. He slid his cock in and out harder and harder, faster and faster, while she tried to keep up with him and his cock pulsated inside her. His hands moved along her sides as he slammed his cock inside her and both of them started sweating, their breathing coming in loud gasps. Finally they both climaxed as Peter moaned and gently slid down on top of her.

Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled over until she was on top of him and she saw the pleading look in his eyes. She gently kissed his lips, sucking gently on his lower lip, then kissed his neck and stroked her fingers against his Adam's apple. He softly moaned as she kissed down his chest then nuzzled the soft hair on his chest and he smiled, clutching onto the silk sheets. She licked the tips of his nipples while his body shivered and she did little kisses down to his navel. Stroking the trial of hair that led to his cock, she kissed his appendix scar and he moaned loudly, arching his head back. She sat on his legs when she stroked his balls and he shivered. She saw the pleading look in his eyes when she grinned and slid her hands along his cock. His cock was hard and warm while she stroked the underside of his cock and felt the quick pulse against her fingers.

"Yes?" she asked as he nodded his head and she slid his cock inside her and pressed her muscles around his cock. She started riding him like a horse as she went faster and pushed harder and he pounded his fists on the bed. Both of them climaxed twice when she climbed off of him and removed the condom, dropping it onto the floor. He snuggled against her while she wrapped her arms around him and he buried his face in her hair.

"Shhh, it's alright," Cassandra whispered when he started crying again and she felt his heart slamming against her. He started to get heavy as she rolled him off her and saw that he had fallen back to sleep. Quietly, she slid off the bed then headed for the bathroom and closed the door behind her. After taking a shower and drying her hair with the hairdryer she found, Cassandra walked out of the bathroom with a damp washcloth and a towel in her hands and sat on the bed. Once Peter was washed and dried off, she slid onto the bed next to him, covered them both with the sheets, blankets and duvet and snuggled against him, placing her head on his chest. His heart thumped in her ear as she looked at the light switch on the wall, smiled and snapped her fingers, making the lights go out.

The low beeping sound woke him when Peter stretched his arms over his head and sighed, half opening his eyes. Looking over at the alarm clock, he reached over and hit the button when he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands and blinked his eyes a few times. Looking at the ceiling, he scratched his chest when he realized that he felt more relaxed than he had felt in a long time and frowned, blinking his eyes a few times.

"_Ok, Peter, what is going on? You haven't felt this way since Ginger…No, wait, you never felt this way. What the hell is going on?" _he thought and slid his hand under the bedding. His cock felt a little sore as he slid his hand out of the bedding and placed his hands behind his head. He then felt like something was in bed with him when he looked over to his right and his eyes widened. Cassandra was lying on her side while she faced him and her hair was spread out over her bare shoulder. He moved the bedding down when he looked at her naked body slightly curled next to him and she had one hand on the pillow and the other hand was across her stomach. A cold chill moved through him as he moved the bedding back and a sense of panic moved through him. _"Oh fuck, what is she doing here? Did I…? Did we….?"_

Carefully sitting up, Peter tried to think back to the night before while rubbing his face with his face with his hands and shook his head. He remembered going back to bed after he went downstairs for the newspaper, Jane had brought him a tray with some wonderful roast beef, mushroom gravy over the mashed red potatoes and green beans on it. She had also included a glass of Midori and he had eaten everything. He could just see the tray on the floor near his bed and he frowned, trying to remember the rest of the night. He had gotten up, went into the bathroom and took a piss before he took a shower and crawled back into bed. He did remember turning the television on and watched a movie, but the movie was stupid and he turned it off. Next, he read the newspaper, which was on the tray, and turned the lights off. He remembered going to sleep, but the rest of it was a blank and he sighed, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"Are you alright?" Cassandra asked with a sleepy tone to her voice and he looked at her, giving her a stunned look.

"No, I'm not alright! I have no fucking idea how you got into my bed! Shit, is Charlie right? Am I suffering from black outs?" he asked as she sat up and tucked the silk sheet around her breasts.

"No, I don't think so. See, you had some sort of nightmare and scared the hell out of us. Jane took Charlie out of the room and I tried to calm you down. That's when…" she said and a look of fear came over his face.

"Oh fuck, I raped you?" he asked and she softly laughed, shaking her head.

"No, it was more like you were sleep fucking," she said with a small smile on her face and he gave her a blank look.

"You mean I was fucking in my sleep?" he asked and she nodded. "And you just let me?"

"Well, it is dangerous to wake someone when they're sleepwalking. I figured it was just as dangerous to do that when someone is sleep fucking," she teased and he softly laughed, sliding his arm around her. She placed her head on his chest as his heart thumped in her ear and she moved her fingers through the soft hair on his chest. "I'll tell you one thing. You do have a really nice "wand"!"

"Yeah, I must admit, it's pretty impressive!" he said, lifting up the bedding and looked down at his cock.

"Oh, most definitely, a two hander if I ever saw one," she teased and he arched his eyebrows.

"Well, I'm glad you like it," Peter said then yawned and rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "Fuck, I'm still tired. Fancy having a lie in?"

"A what?" she asked and he softly smiled at her.

"Do you want to go back to sleep with me holding you?"

"Yep," she said with a pop of the "p" and he placed the bedding down. Smiling, he slowly closed his eyes as she stroked his nipple and listened to his breathing even out as he drifted back to sleep. Kissing his chest, Cassandra closed her eyes and the sound of his heart slowing down was the last thing she heard as she drifted off to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

A loud gurgling sound woke Cassandra when she opened her eyes and moved her fingers through the soft chest hair. Peter made a contented sigh as she moved her head to his shoulder and looked at the three chains lying on his chest. On the end of the shorter chain was what looked like a tiny cross or a bullet or an interesting, little wooden stake and she slid her fingers under it, running the pad of her thumb over it. The middle chain had a more detailed cross and she moved her fingers over the cross. The last chain had what appeared to be a golden key and some sort of religious medal. She wondered why he wore them as she poked his chest with the gold key and he smiled, placing his hand on top of her hand. She felt his soft skin under her fingers as she looked up at him and Peter smiled at her.

"What time is it?" he asked with a growl to his voice and she heard him make a tiny grunt as she climbed over him and looked at the clock on the night table. She gasped when he gently tapped her bottom and she looked over at him with a grin on her face. "Hey, you were the one sticking your ass in my face!"

"Hmph, well, it's a quarter after five. Looks like we've nearly slept the day away," Cassandra said as she crawled over his body and settled on top of him. Wrapping his arms around her, Peter sighed as she placed her hands on his chest then rested her head on the back of her hands and he moved his fingers along her back.

"Fuck, I'm starved," he said then she kissed his chest, got off of him and picked up his leather coat, sliding it on. He watched her tie the leather coat closed when she headed for the door and he watched her walking toward the door. Opening the door, she turned then smiled at him and he waved before plopping his head down on the pillow. Closing the door behind her, Cassandra walked down the hallway while she headed for the stairs as she hoped that Jane and Charlie were out and walked down the stairs. The floor was cold as she stood in the living room and looked toward the window. The sun was going down as the sky was bright in dark purple and red colors and the first lights of the buildings came on. Sighing, she turned to head for the kitchen when she heard a low cough and saw Darcy sitting on the high back chair with the brown and white cushions and Darcy arched an eyebrow.

"Ah, so that would explain the flu," she said with a blank look on her face and Cassandra sighed, folding her arms under her breasts.

Charlie couldn't believe he could be so stupid. He normally scanned for viruses before he opened any program, but he was in such a rush to help Peter that he opened the Who's Who program without scanning first. Jane was looking through some dvds that were on sale while Charlie stood at the help desk and the young man behind the desk looked at the information on the screen. Charlie had dealt with him before and he was a nice guy.

"Sorry, Charlie, but I'm afraid she's fried," he said as Charlie rolled his eyes and puffed air out of his cheeks. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"I was downloading something Eddie leant me," Charlie said and the young man nodded.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't load any shit that comes from Eddie's computer. Stupid fuck never scans thing."

"Yeah, I know."

"Still no word on him, hunh?" the young man asked and Charlie shook his head. "Shit, out of all the guys that come in here, he was the last one you'd think would run away. You know what's funny?"

"What?"

"There's talk going around that he finally got caught and someone killed him," the young man said and Charlie's eyes widened.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know that weird shit he was always spouting about vampires and shit like that? Well, I heard that he got caught snooping and the fucker killed him," the young man said and Charlie felt his stomach flip.

"Yeah, right," Charlie said with a nod of his head and the young man slid the laptop toward him.

"Sorry that I can't fix her," the young man said and Charlie nodded, took the laptop and walked to Jane.

"Was he able to fix it?" she asked and Charlie shook his head. Sighing, Jane patted his back as they headed for the door and she slid her arm around his shoulder. She knew she couldn't afford to get him a new laptop as they headed for the car and she looked up at the sky. She never minded when it was dusk, but after Jerry came into their lives, she had this nagging feeling to get inside before the sun came down. Getting into car, Jane smiled at Charlie as she patted his leg and Charlie slightly smiled. The car moved down the street while he watched the sun going down then sighed and placed his head against the glass, watching the scenery going by.

"And what does that mean?" Cassandra asked as Darcy got up and walked toward her, standing in front of her.

"Oh, come on. We all had a go at Mister Tiny Dick. Guess it was your turn," Darcy said as she slid her fingers under the long collar of the leather coat and flipped it up.

"Ah, so you think that I just tossed my legs up and let him have his way with me?" Cassandra asked and glared at her.

"Just saying," Darcy said while she held her hands up when Cassandra glanced over at the stairs and saw Peter sitting on the top step. He was wearing his black, silk boxers and black silk robe and had a cigarillo and his silver lighter dangling between his legs.

"Well, maybe I did," Cassandra said as she went face to face with her and smiled. "But he isn't a tiny dick. In fact, he is a two hander, which makes me wonder if you really had him. If you had, you would have known that!"

"To be honest, I wouldn't touch him if he was on fire. Who knows what he's got," Darcy said as she scrunched up her face and Cassandra saw that Peter was now sitting half way down the stairs. She watched as he opened the silver lighter then lit the cigarillo and puffed on the cigarillo.

"What I got is a curiosity about why you're in my house," he said as the smoke puffed out of the corner of his mouth and he placed the silver lighter in the black, silk robe pocket.

"How long…how long have you been sitting there?" Darcy asked while he walked down the stairs and tied the black silk robe closed.

"Long enough," he said as he walked to Cassandra and slid his arm around her middle, pulling her against him. "So, what are you doing here?"

"The management wants to know when you're going back to work," Darcy said as he slid his hand inside the leather coat and stroked Cassandra's side, making her shiver. He let go of her when he walked closer to Darcy and went face to face with her, his dark eyes glaring at her.

"Tell them that I'm feeling much better and will be on stage tomorrow night. Now hand over the key and get your ass OUT of my house!" he growled as she reached into her pocket and took out the key ring. He wiggled his fingers as she placed the key ring in his hand. He watched her turn around and head for the hallway when he called to her and she turned around, looking for her. "Just so you know. You're fired. Go pack your shit and don't let the door hit you on the way out. And if you say one word to the other girls, well, I don't think the management wants to waste more time while I look for new girls."

Darcy growled as she stormed out of the room when he walked to Cassandra and smiled, taking her hand.

"Want to order room service? They make a killer steak and chips!" he said as she nodded and he walked to the telephone, picking up the receiver. 

The remains of the steak and chips dinner sat near the gas fireplace while the fire crackled and Cassandra tried not to laugh as Peter tried to get the bar refrigerator open. They had gotten dressed and Cassandra was glad she had gone back to her house for some clothes and necessities or she would have been wearing one of Peter's shirts instead of jeans, a pink t-shirt and white converse sneakers. Jane had called to tell him that she and Charlie would be eating out and Peter growled, pounding his fist against the refrigerator door. The ping from the lift filled the room as he looked up then saw Jane and Charlie walking into the room and Peter stormed over to her, holding his hand out while wiggling his fingers at her.

"Gimme!" he said as Jane softly smiled and Cassandra and Charlie covered their mouths with their hands.

"Give you what?" Jane asked as she arched her eyebrows up and Peter glowered at her.

"Look, I have been a good boy all day…"

"You've been sleeping all day," Jane corrected and Charlie was shaking from silent laughter.

"That's beside the point. I want a drink. So, please, give me the key!" Peter said with a sad look on his face and Jane patted his shoulder, led him to the high back chair in front of the window and sat him down. They watched as she walked to the bar then went around to the other side and knelt down. A few minutes later she walked to him with a glass of Midori in her hand and he grinned at her. Patting the top of his head, Jane sat on the high back chair across from him and Cassandra sat on the high back chair to his right. Charlie sat on the high back chair with the brown and white cushions as Peter looked at him and sipped on the Midori. "Were you able to get the laptop fixed?"

"No," Charlie said as he shook his head and Peter sighed. Charlie had told him the night before about what happened to his laptop and Peter sipped on the Midori.

"Shit, I really wanted to see what that Who's Who was all about."

"What I don't get is why the virus didn't hit the moment I logged on. It happened after I typed in that guy's name," Charlie said and Cassandra frowned.

"That's odd," Cassandra said while Peter shifted in the chair and dangled his left leg over the arm of the high back chair. He slightly grinned as she looked at the slight bulge in his tight jeans and he crossed his right leg over his left leg. "Does anyone else feel like he doesn't want to be found?"

"That's what I'm thinking," Charlie said while Peter sipped on the Midori and tapped his fingers on his right leg.

"Well, there is another way to find him," Peter said when he stood up and walked to Jane, handing her the glass. "Refill that for me, please."

"But…" she said as he gave her a sad puppy look and she softly laughed, got up and walked to the bar. After Jane brought him over another glass of Midori, Peter pointed with his hand toward the hallway to the left and they got up, following him out of the room. They walked down the hallway when he stood in front of a pair of large, oak doors and he took of a sip of the Midori then opened the door. Standing back, he did a little bow as they walked inside the library and Charlie's eyes widened at the sight of the bookcases standing against the walls.

"Fuck," Charlie said as they walked further into the room and Peter smiled, leaning against the doorframe.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The walls of the library were black with silver vines with gold leaves painted on the black. The tall, oak bookcases stood against the walls and books of various sizes and colored covers, scrolls tied with ribbons or leather bindings and rolled up maps sat on the shelves. There were a few skulls, one of two of them human, a small dream catcher and what looked like a shrunken head on the shelves as well and three, long table sat at the center of the room, spaced evenly apart. Several, cast iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling by iron chains and the large window at the back of the room cast a gloomy light.

"It looks a bit Goth," Cassandra said as she walked by one of the bookcases and jumped when she saw the stuffed raven sitting on the shelf. She looked back at Peter as he smirked then walked into the room and sat on top of the first table.

"This is from years of searching through dusty old book shops and…" Peter said when Jane held up a cardboard box with FED EX on it and Peter sighed, rolling his eyes. "Ok, I got most of them off E-bay."

"Is this a real shrunken head?" Charlie asked as Peter hopped off the table, took a sip of Midori and walked to him, looking at the shrunken head.

"Nah, I bought that when I spent a week working at Disneyworld's Pleasure Island. Thought it would give the place a little charm," he said with a smile and ruffled Charlie's hair. Charlie flipped him off as Peter shrugged then watched Cassandra standing near the bookcase with the unicorn statute sitting on the middle shelf and sighed.

"What's going on with you two?" Charlie whispered and Peter gave him a blank look.

"Nothing is "going on" with us!" he said and Charlie arched his eyebrow with a hint of a smile on his face.

"Yeah, right," Charlie teased and Peter slightly glared at him. "You like her."

"And what makes you think that?" Peter asked with a smug tone in his voice and Charlie smiled.

"I may have only met her a few times, but you never looked at Ginger like that," Charlie said as Peter sighed then softly laugh, shaking his head.

"You got that right," Peter sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

"So you admit that you like her."

"Ok, yes, I do like her," Peter said with wide eyes and walked off, heading for Cassandra. She was chatting with Jane while they looked through some of the books when Peter stood behind them and placed his hands behind his back, winked at Charlie then leaned over, placing his chin on Cassandra's shoulder. "No talking in the library."

Both of them jumped as Charlie started laughing and they turned around, seeing Peter standing behind them with a grin on his face.

"You're a shithead," Jane said as he shrugged and she walked off, leaving a slightly ticked off Cassandra looking at him with anger in her eyes.

"Sowwy," Peter said with a childlike tone to his voice and Cassandra sighed, rolling her eyes. "Did you find anything?"

"No, and we would have if SOMEONE wasn't acting like a jerk," she teased and he nodded, looking at the books on the shelf in front of them.

"What we need is some clue to when this De'Avante was first sighted. If we can find that, we can figure out where he's from," Charlie said when a cold chill moved through Peter and he pinched his eyes closed with his fingers.

"He's French," he said softly and they looked at him.

"Are you alright?" Jane asked as she walked closer and placed a hand on his back.

"Yeah, I'm ok," Peter said with a nod of his head and sighed.

"Well, I figured he was French," Charlie said as he looked through the books on the shelf in front of him and ran a finger over the spin of a book covered in red leather. "What we need to find out is where in France and what tribe of vampire sired him."

"Some vampires aren't sired," Peter said as they looked at him and he walked to the table, sitting on top of it. "There is a misconception that vampires cannot have children. True, there are some tribes that are sterile, but most tribes of vampires still can reproduce. That is why it is necessary to wipe out the entire blood line or they would over populate the world and we humans would be nothing more than cattle to them. It might be possible that he is either the last of his family or is just one of the kids out hunting for food to feed his brood."

"If that's true then we're facing a much bigger problem," Charlie said and Peter nodded his head, sipping on the last of the Midori. Suddenly Cross flew into the room while they watched the falcon sail to the empty space on the shelf of the last bookcase and Peter slowly got off the table and walked to the bookcase. Cross looked down at the tall book with the black leather cover as it started pecking at the book and Peter reached up, removing the book from the shelf. Cross hopped onto his shoulder as Peter walked to the table and Jane, Cassandra and Charlie walked to the table, standing next to him. "How did he…?"

"Tweety is very clever," Peter said as he scratched Cross' wing and placed the book on the table. They watched as he opened the book and the pages of the book creaked a bit from being closed for so long. The book had a slight dusty smell to it as Peter flipped through the pages then stopped and his heart thumped hard and fast against his ribs. Drawn on the page was a sketch of Jean-Phillipe De'Avante and his black eyes seemed to lock onto Peter's eyes.

London, England 1811

The carriage moved down the dirt road while Giacomo looked out the window and felt Constance's hand in his hand. He had to stop his mother from attacking Constance with a poker after she came back in and saw Roberto lying dead in Giacomo's arms. He could still see the hate and anger in his mother's eyes as she demanded that Constance be arrested for murder and Giacomo had the butler take his mother upstairs. He stuffed a few things into a small bag then had their family coachman take them away from the only home he had ever known and they had spent the last few nights traveling from one town to another.

Constance looked over at her love as her heart clutched in her chest and she sighed. She knew he was hurting, but she also knew that he would never allow any harm to come to her. They had been traveling to see his sister, Antonia, and he had sent word to his younger brother, Roberto, and told him to meet him there. She wasn't sure if his mother hadn't contacted them first, but she watched the countryside going by and prayed that Giacomo would have the strength to face what was coming. She couldn't see the future, but she had encountered vampires before and the outcome was never good.

The carriage pulled into the long path as the carriage headed toward the five story, gray and black stone home of Antonia's husband and Giacomo looked at the lush, green lawn and the large tress cast a shadow over the carriage. The carriage came to a stop when the coachman hopped down and walked to the door, opening the door. Giacomo nodded as he helped Constance out of the carriage and she looked up at the gray stone gargoyles perched on the edge of the roof.

"Terrible beasts," she whispered as they walked up the marble steps then stood in front of the door and Giacomo flexed his fingers over the top of the handle of the silver blade sword. Knocking, he slid Constance's hand into his and they waited for someone to open the door. Minutes passed while they stood at the door when Giacomo turned then walked down the marble stairs and Constance followed him. Looking around, he sense there was something wrong and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Don't you think it's odd that we didn't see any servants while coming up the road? There should have been some gardeners about at the very least," he said as she looked around and noticed that everything seemed too quiet. Giacomo knew from his visits to his brother-in-law's home where the gardeners' small cottage was and he ran off to his left. Cross had been sitting on her wrist as Constance nodded her head and the falcon took flight, heading off to catch up with him. Giacomo stopped when he came to the small stone house near the barn and saw that the wooden door had been torn off its hinges and was lying on the ground in front of the house. A rotten smell came from the doorway as he slowly walked closer then stopped when he heard a loud screech and looked to see Cross flying toward him. Holding out his wrist, he let the falcon land then noticed that Cross was the only animal he had heard since coming to the house and blinked. "What is going on here?"

Cross shivered as the feathers rippled over its body and Gicomo slowly walked toward the stone house. The smell grew worse the closer they came to the house and he peered inside the stone house. His eyes widened as the sunlight bled into the house and he stood in the doorway, silently crossing himself.

"My God!" he whispered and a low growling sound bubbled from Cross' throat. Slowly he walked inside the stone house while looking at the slaughtered bodies of the gardeners and their families and covered his mouth with his hand. Coughing, he backed out of the stone house when he headed for the barn and stood in the doorway. The barn was a stone structure with a wooden roof and a hayloft. He slowly walked inside as the smell filled his nostrils and he felt his stomach lurching inside him. The animals had also been slaughtered and he backed out of the barn, heading for the bushes, After vomiting until he was dry heaving, Giacomo stood up and Cross flew down from the branch it was sitting on. The sun was going down by the time Giacomo returned to the carriage and Constance looked at him. He had found more bodies in the smoke house, the stable and the mill as he sighed and stood in front of her. "We must get out of here."

"Why?" she asked as he led her to the carriage and the coachman climbed up to the driver's seat. Giacomo helped her into the carriage as he followed her and pounded his fist on the roof of the carriage. The carriage moved down the path as he looked back at the stone house and sighed. Turning around, he slid his arm around her and Constance looked up at him. "What did you find?"

"They're dead. All of the ground's servants are dead," he whispered and she gasped.

"What about your sister and her family and the other staff?"

"I don't know," he said as he looked out the window and watched the sun slowly setting in the sky. "But we're coming back at first light to find out."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

The carriage moved down the path while Giacomo looked out the window and flexed his fingers. Constance was sitting across from him while Cross sat on her wrist and her heart hurt, seeing the anger and pain in his eyes. The carriage stopped at the marble stairs as the coachman hopped down and opened the door. Giacomo got out of the carriage then turned, helping Constance out of the carriage, and they walked up the stairs. Standing near the carriage, Giacomo calculated the thickenss of the door when he sighed then took her hand and they walked down the stairs. Looking around, Giacomo looked around when he half ran to the French doors and sighed. Kicking the French doors opened, he walked inside the room while Constance followed him and Giacomo looked around the room.

The walls were a cream color with crystal chandeliers on the ceiling and elegant furnishings and ivory pots with large plants sat in the corners. Portraits of his sister and her family were on the walls and white tiles covered the floor. Giacomo walked around the room while he checked for bodies or blood trails but the white tile floor was clean and he turned, seeing Constance standing next to the white, stone fireplace and she was looking up at the portrait of his sister. Sighing, Giacomo walked to her when he slid his arms around her waist and she leaned against him.

"Why?" she whispered while he stroked her hair and he turned her around to face him.

"I don't know," he whispered then took her hand and they walked out of the room. Most of the morning was spent searching the first floor and several bodies were found, making the anger in Giacomo's heart grew hotter. By late afternoon they had found more bodies when they came to the master bed chamber and Giacomo slowly opened the doors. His heart caught in his chest when he walked further in the room and blood covered the white tile floor, spread across the white, satin duvet and he stood at the foot of the bed. "No."

The mutilated bodies of his sister, her husband and his nieces and nephews lay on the bed as he looked at them when something made him look up and what was on the wall made his blood ran cold. ROBERTO VINCENZI, YOU TOOK MY FAMILY AND NOW I TAKE YOURS! had been written in blood as he balled his hands into fists and Constance walked closer, placing her hand on his shoulder. Not speaking, Giacomo turned then stormed out of the room and she followed close behind him. Storming outside, Giacomo headed for the carriage when he heard something and saw a carriage coming closer. Drawing the silver blade out of the scabbard, he stood in front of the carriage while the other carriage stopped and the coachman hopped down, opening the door. Constance stood behind Giacomo when a tall figure got out of the carriage and Giacomo smiled, placing the silver blade sword back in the scabbard.

"Brother," Roberto Vincenti said with a nod of his head and Giacomo walked to him, hugging him.

"Thank God," Giacomo sighed as Roberto leaned his head to one side.

"What is going? Why did you send word to meet you here? Where is Antonia?" his brother asked in rapid fire succession.

"All will be answered once we're gone," Giacomo said then introduced Constance to Roberto and Roberto nodded his head to her. Helping them into the carriage, Giacomo got into the carriage then pounded his fist on the ceiling of the carriage and the carriages headed down the path. No one noticed the curtains moving in one of the room on the fourth floor and Giacomo turned around, watching the house growing smaller in the distance. 

"No, I do not believe this!" Roberto said while Giacomo hushed him and looked around the room. They had stopped off at a local inn as they sat at a table near the fireplace and Roberto growled, folding his arms over his chest.

"Brother, I wish to Heaven that I was making this up, but the truth of the matter is it's real. Father is dead and so are Antonia and her family," Giacomo said and Roberto picked up the glass of wine in front of him and tossed the wine back, swallowing the wine in one gulp.

"But that is impossible. There are no such things as….," he said then leaned closer and locked eyes with Giacomo. "….Vampires."

"I never thought there were as well, but it would explain what Father was doing during those "trips" he took every other week or so. Don't you remember that time when we were children and you found that bloody shirt in his wardrobe?" Giacomo asked in reference to the time they were playing Hide and Seek and Roberto was hiding in his father's wardrobe.

"Yes, of course I remember. He told us that he had a bloody nose and had changed his shirt," Roberto said and Giacomo gave him a blank look.

"That was a good amount of blood for a nose bleed. And why didn't he burn the shirt? Why did he keep it?"

"How should I know?"

"And why were there times that he would either be limping or wouldn't allow us to hug or touch him? It was because he was injured."

"But you would think Mother would have noticed."

"Yes, she did know, but she wouldn't speak of such things to us or anyone else or people would think she was mad," Giacomo said and Roberto sighed, sitting back in the chair.

"So, if I'm to believe any of this, I have to take your word that this… De'Avante not only is a vampire, but he also killed our brother, caused our father's death and had just slaughtered our sister, her family and her household staff?" Roberto asked and Giacomo nodded his head. Roberto thought for a few moments then sighed and pinched his eyes closed. "This is insane. There are no such things as vampires, werewolves or witches."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Constance said as he looked at her and Constance looked around, waved her hand over the candle sitting on the table and snapped her fingers. The flame appeared on the wick of the candle as he looked at her and she slightly smiled.

"My word," Roberto said as she blew the candle out and he looked at Giacomo. "You knew that she's…that she is…?"

"Yes, but that is beside the point. De'Avante is after our family and we need to go home and make sure that Mother is alright."

"And if he has killed her?"

"Then I am going to hunt him down and send that bastard back to Hell!" Giacomo said and lightly pounded his fist on the top of the table. 

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

"Peter?" Jane asked as he blinked his eyes and pushed the book toward Charlie. Sighing, Peter leaned against the side of the table when he looked at the floor and pinched his eyes with his fingers.

"I'm ok," he said with a nod of his head and Charlie looked at the picture.

"Shit, according to this, De'Avante belonged to one of the most powerful vampire families in Europe. He was first seen during the French Revolution and was in charge of the night guard of the Bastille," Charlie said while Peter walked around to his side of the table and looked at the book.

"It makes sense. No one would suspect the head of the night guard if people started disappearing. They would just believe that they had been executed," Peter said.

"Does it say when he was last spotted?" Cassandra said while she and Jane walked closer and Cassandra slid her fingers against Peter's fingers. Peter moved his finger over the page then turned the page and frowned. On the page was a drawing of the silver blade sword and Peter moved his fingers over the drawing. "What is that?"

"It looks like a sword," Charlie said and Peter nodded his head. Peter walked to the shelf when he opened a wooden box and took something out of the wooden box. Walking back to the table, he held the magnifying glass in his right hand as he looked at the drawing and could just see tiny writing on the blade of the sword. "What does that say?"

"I can't tell. The writing is too small," Peter said as Cassandra looked at the tiny writing and moved the magnifying glass up to the handle of the sword.

"Fuck," she whispered as they looked at her and Peter arched an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked and placed the magnifying glass on the table.

"I've seen that sword before."

"You have?" Jane asked and Cassandra nodded her head.

"Where did you see it?" Charlie asked and Cassandra looked at them then sighed.

"I'll show you," she said as she took Peter's hand while they left the room and the pages of the book moved back to the drawing of Jean-Phillipe De'Avante and a low growling came from the page. 

The car stopped at the curb as Cassandra got out of the car and Jane followed her. Peter took the cage out of the back of the car while Charlie closed the door and they looked at the house.

"Oh, now that's what I call a classic," Jane said with a grin as Peter gently nudged her in the side and smiled.

"This isn't time for Real Estate Jane to come out and play, Love," he teased as she gently slapped his arm and they walked up the front path then walked up the stairs. Cassandra opened the front door as she stood in the doorway and looked at them. She held her hands out as Peter handed her the cage and she placed the cage on the floor to her left. "Right, ask us in."

"Jane, Charlie, please come in," she said as she stood back and Charlie rolled his eyes and Jane softly laughed as they walked inside and Cassandra held her hand out, placing it against Peter's chest. "Hold on."

"Hey, why can't I come in?" he asked when she lightly puckered her lips and he laughed, shook his head and kissed her lips.

"Now you can come in," she teased as he sighed then got a snobby look on his face and sauntered inside. Closing the door, Cassandra watching him swinging his hips side to side and he looked back at her, giving her a wink. Cassandra removed Cross from the cage while Jane looked around the front hall, looked up at the staircase that winded up to the second floor and placed her hand on the railing.

"Amazing," Jane said softly while Cassandra walked into the main parlor and placed Cross on the wooden perch in the left corner. She watched Peter walking around the room when he stopped in front of the stone fireplace then titled his head to one side and Charlie stood next to him. A picture frame was facing the wall as Peter looked back at Cassandra and she walked closer, standing next to him.

"Is there a reason that's facing the wall?" Peter asked.

"It's always faced the wall," Cassandra said when Peter looked at Charlie, walked over to the high back chair with red cushions, picked up the high back chair and carried it back to the fireplace. Jane came into the room while Peter stood on the high back chair, reached for the picture frame and turned it around. He hopped off the high back chair as they looked at the portrait and their eyes went wide.

"Shit," Charlie said as they looked at the two people in the portrait and Peter looked at Cassandra.

"They look like…"Jane said as she stood near Peter and he nodded, slowly blinking his eyes.

"They look like me and Cassy," he said softly as he looked at the portrait of Giacomo and Constance and folded his arms over his chest.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

"Right," Peter said as he looked at Cassandra and she saw the anger in his eyes. "Mind telling me how there is a portrait of the two of us hanging on your wall?"

"I told you. That portrait's always been there," Cassandra said and he nodded his head for her to continue. "As long as I could remember, it's faced the wall and I have no idea why."

"I remember Ed telling me that you should point mirrors toward the wall if you don't want ghosts to come into the house." Charlie said as they looked at him and Peter gave him a "Not now, Charlie" look.

"Is there a plaque on the frame?" Jane asked when Peter carefully got onto the high back chair and looked at the bottom of the frame. "See anything?"

"Yeah, it says eighteen eleven," Peter said then hopped off the high back chair and looked at the portrait.

"So it's some sort of engagement or wedding portrait?"

"That would explain the white dress," Peter said with a nod of his head.

"Is he wearing a sword?" Charlie asked as he pointed to the sword on the scabbard and Peter got back on the high back chair, took the portrait down and hopped off the high back chair, placing the portrait on the high back chair. He looked at the sword when he searched his pockets for the magnifying glass and sighed.

"Shit," he said softly when Cassandra walked to the desk and opened the door. Taking something out of the drawer, she closed the drawer then walked to him and placed the magnifying glass in his hand. Softly smiling, Peter knelt down as he examined the sword in the portrait and blinked his eyes, standing up. "Yep, it's the sword from the book."

"Which means he's met De'Avante," Charlie said and Peter half shrugged his shoulders.

"But that still doesn't tell us who they are," Jane said while Charlie looked at the portrait then noticed something and took the magnifying glass out of Peter's hand. "Charlie?"

"I don't fucking believe it," he said as he looked at the shadowy figure in the background and Peter leaned in to see what he was looking at. "Do you see that?"

"Yeah, it looks like…" Peter said as he looked over at Cross and frowned.

"It looks like Cross?" Jane asked and Peter nodded his head. "But that's impossible. This was painted in the eighteen hundreds. He can't be that old."

"Yes, he can." Cassandra said and Jane gave her a blank look.

"What are you talking about?"

"Cross is a familiar. You know what that is?" Peter asked and Jane shook her head. "A familiar is considered to be an aspect of one's life and reflects that self. They are permanent and appear when needed. True, according to most folk lore, familiars are considered demonic, but there are some that are just helpers and companions, like Cross."

"So, if he is in the portrait, he would know who they are," Charlie asked then frowned when Peter smiled and patted him on the top of his head. Cassandra walked to the perch when she held her wrist out and Cross hopped onto her wrist. She walked to the small, wooden table near the window when she sat Cross on the small perch near the small, wooden table and they walked closer, looking at her. Cassandra opened the drawer under the small, wooden table and removed a deck of cards with letters on them. She spread the cards out on the table as Peter leaned on the table and she saw the suspicion in his eyes.

"My grandmother used to hold séances and had trained Cross to spell out words using these cards," she said and Peter nodded his head. They watched as Cross hopped onto the table and looked at them. "Do you know who those people are?"

Cross walked along the table when it pulled out three cards and spelled YES. Cassandra moved the cards back into proper order and patted Cross' back.

"What is the man's first name?" she asked as Cross moved along the table and spelled GIACOM and Jane frowned, folding her arms under her breasts.

"What kind of name is that?" she asked as Peter studied the name and blinked his eyes.

"I think he ran out of letters," Peter said and Cross nodded its head. Peter studied the name when he sighed and frowned. "I think he's trying to spell Giacomo."

Cross nodded its head as Peter grinned then noticed that Charlie had taken out a pad and a pen and was writing things down. Cassandra moved the cards back into the right position and looked at Cross.

"Can you spell the woman's name?" she asked and Cross moved across the table and spelled CONSTANE.

"Um, I don't think that's a name," Jane said.

"He ran out of letters again," Peter said as he looked at the name then smiled and patted Cross' head. "I think the name is Constance."

Cross nodded while Charlie wrote the name down and Cassandra placed the cards back in proper order.

"What is the woman's last name?" she asked and Cross moved across the table and spelled LAKE.

"So her name was Constance Lake?" Jane asked.

"I guess so," Peter said then looked at Cassandra and she thought for a few minutes.

"I do remember my grandmother talking about a Constance Lake. She lived in the eighteen hundreds, but that was it. She said that no one in the family would talk about her or they were cursed," Cassandra said and Charlie frowned, looking at the portrait.

"Maybe she was practicing the black arts," Peter said as Cassandra shrugged then set the cards back in the proper order.

"What was the man's name?" she said as Cross moved across the table and spelled VINCEZ and they looked at each other. Peter paced back and forth then sat on the chair next to the table and rubbed his face with his hands. "Peter?"

"Shit," he said then pounded his fists on the arms of the chair and looked at them. "You do know that my life deals in lies and illusion, right?"

"Yeah," Charlie said with a nod of his head.

"Well, according to my father, my last name wasn't always Vincent. It used to be Vincenzi," he said and Charlie slightly smiled.

"You're Italian?" he asked and Peter glared at him.

"Only on my father's side," he said then sat back in the chair. "According to my father, his family came here in the eighteen hundreds from England and changed it. Some of them moved back to England in nineteen ten but my father moved back here in the sixties. Anyway, he said that my family spread out across the country and it was rumored that it was for protection. He never had the chance to tell me why."

"He didn't?" Cassandra asked.

"His parents were…" Charlie said when Peter glared at him and Charlie coughed, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'll tell you later," Peter said as Cassandra nodded when Cross moved across the table and spelled SWORD. "What did he spell?"

"Sword," Cassandra said and Cross nodded its head.

"Do you know where the sword is?" Jane asked.

"Yes, come on," Cassandra said as she headed for the stairs and they followed her out of the room. Peter smiled when Cross flew to his shoulder and he reached up, scratching Cross' back. They walked up the stairs as Jane looked around and Peter gently nudged her, shaking his head. She flipped him off as they headed for the top floor and Cassandra stood in front of the loft door. She opened the door as they walked up the creaking stairs and she used the chain to click the light on. Trunks, boxes, wardrobes and things covered in dirty sheets spread out before them as they walked along and a stained glass window was at the back of the room. Jane moved closer to Peter as he slid an arm around her and she smiled at him.

"Sorry, attics creep me out," she whispered and he nodded his head. Cassandra walked to the trunk in the corner when she knelt down and looked at the rusted lock. Snapping her fingers, they watched as the lock opened and she placed the lock on the floor. Peter slowly walked closer then knelt down next to her and looked at her.

"I swear that I didn't know about the portrait," she said as they locked eyes and he saw the truth in her eyes.

"I believe you," he whispered as she nodded and opened the trunk. A musty smell filled the room as they coughed and Peter looked into the trunk.

"Blimey," he said then gently picked up the scabbard and stood up. The leather was brittle and cracked as he gently slid his fingers over the handle of the silver blade sword and slid the silver blade sword out of the scabbard. Holding the silver blade sword so the blade faced him, he moved his fingers over the flat of the silver blade and blinked. His fingers tingled as he stood back and swung the silver blade sword back and forth.

"Whoa," Charlie said as Peter nodded then placed the silver blade sword back in the scabbard and handed the scabbard to Cassandra.

"No," she said while shaking her head and he titled his head to one side. "It belongs to you."

"Bullshit," he said but she stood back and Peter sighed, sliding the scabbard under his arm. All of them jumped when a rock suddenly burst through the stain glass window and Peter looked at the stain glass window. He had noticed it had gotten dark while they were coming to the loft and Cassandra had snapped her fingers to make the lights come on. Walking closer to the stain glass window, Peter peeked out through the hole and his heart raced when he saw Jean-Phillipe De'Avante floating in front of the stain glass window with his arms folded over his chest.

"Peek-a-boo," he said as Peter backed away from the window and they looked at him.

"RUN!" Peter shouted as Cross flew to Cassandra and they headed for the stairs. The stain glass window exploded as Peter ducked and Jean-Phillipe floated outside the window. "Ha, you can't come in without an invite!"

"That is true, Mon Ami, but you have to leave the house at some point!" he said then floated upward and Peter ran to the stain glass window, looking out at the darkening sky. "Up here!"

Placing the scabbard on the floor, Peter carefully leaned out of the window when he saw Jean-Phillipe standing on the roof and Peter carefully held onto the window frame. Jean-Phillipe watched while Peter climbed out onto the ledge and started climbing up toward him. Peter cursed the few times he slipped on the roof shingles when he finally made it to the top of the roof and the cool evening breeze blew through their hair.

"How did you find me?" Peter asked while panting and Jean-Phillipe simply smiled, tilting his head to one side.

"I never said I was looking for you," he said and Peter held his hands out as he tried to keep his balance and Jean-Phillipe arched his eyebrows up.

"Well, I am not going to let you hurt Cassandra!"

"My, this does feel familiar. It's like we've faced each other before," Jean-Phillipe said as he floated closer and Peter locked eyes with him. "Ah, oui, I remember now. You attacked me with that creature she keeps in a cage. But there is more to you, so much more!"

"Yeah, why not come closer and take a real good look!" Peter said as he tried to keep his balance and Jean-Phillipe moved closer. Peter could see the scars around Jean-Phillipe's eyes and wondered if Cross had blinded him. Peter shook that thought away because he could see Peter and Peter thought about what he knew about vampires. If some vampires are badly injured, they tend to need something called death sleeps to heal. Peter was brought out of his contemplation when he realized that Jean-Phillipe was standing face to face with him and he felt a cold chill running through him. Jean-Phillipe looked him up and down when a smile broke his face and he folded his arms over his chest.

"Well, this is a surprise. I thought I had gotten rid of you, Mon Ami. I guess I was wrong," Jean-Phillipe said and Peter made a little laugh, moving his feet a bit on the shingles. Before he could move, Jean-Phillipe swung his arm as he hit Peter in the face and Peter lost his balance. The last thing Jean-Phillipe saw before he changed into a puff of smoke was Peter falling off the roof and his laughter echoed in the darkness.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Peter felt very relaxed as he fell through the air then felt something grabbing onto him and the low sounds of wings flapping filled his ears. He had closed his eyes and his nose and face felt broken in a million pieces but he didn't care. If whatever was holding him was an angel then he would be healed by some blonde with big breasts and wings. If it was some sort of demon, he had the feeling having a broken nose and a busted up face was the least of his problems. The sound grew softer when he felt himself drifting downward and felt the hard wood under his hands.

"Peter?" Cassandra's voice asked as he felt soft fingers moving through his hair and he slowly opened his eyes. Everything was blurry as he blinked his eyes slowly when he heard the sound of running and something was poking him in the side. "Peter, please, answer me!"

"'assy?" he asked then realized that he sounded funny and slightly smiled.

"Oh fuck!" Charlie's voice said as Peter tried to focus his eyes but the black spots were growing larger and Peter closed his eyes, drifting off into the darkness.

A soft beeping filled his head as Peter started waking up and felt the softness of the blanket that was covering him. His face hurt and he was breathing through his mouth but he didn't feel like opening his eyes. It was nice in the darkness and he wanted to go back when he felt soft lips on his forehead and slowly moved his fingers.

"Hey there, Sleepy Head," Cassandra's voice said somewhere far away and Peter's mind quickly rushed toward her voice. The inside of his eyelids became a bright tan then a white light appeared and he balled his hands into fists.

"AH!" he said while he tried to turn away from the light then heard Cassandra's voice softly hushing him and felt her stroking his hair. "No, leaf me 'lone!"

"Sh, it's alright," she said softly as he blinked his eyes a few times and her smiling face appeared after his eyes focused. "There you are."

"I'm nae dead?" he asked softly as she shook his head and kissed his lips.

"No, you are alive."

"M'nobe hurfs," he said as she nodded her head and barely touched her lips to the tip of his nose. The nurse had left the room as Cassandra carefully climbed onto the bed and snuggled next to Peter, being careful of the wires. She placed her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and she gently stroked his nipple through the thin material of the hospital gown. "How ba' is it?"

"How bad is your nose?" she asked and he painfully nodded his head. "It's broken in two places. Luckily none of the bones went into your skull or they would have pierced your brain. The doctor said that it will be straight when the swelling goes down but you're going to have to breath through your mouth. Your right cheek also had to be repaired and you're missing three upper back teeth."

"Oh fuff!" he said as she smiled and lightly pinched his nipple between her finger and thumb, causing tiny sparks of pain and pleasure to move through him. "Uh, as mush as I wou' loff tae, I'm nae in da mood."

"I could fix it for you," she said and he arched his eyebrows up.

"You're da' good, eh?" he asked as she nodded her head and he looked over at the heart monitor. "Um, gonna hur'?"

"Yeah, it's going to hurt," she said as he rolled his eyes and kissed the top of her head.

"Home," he said then closed his eyes and she listened to him slowly drift back to sleep while tears rolled down her cheeks.

The doctor had released Peter the following morning as Jane and Cassandra held onto him and led him into the bedroom. Charlie was standing next to the bed as Peter slightly smiled at him and saw Cross sitting on the headboard. Peter had tried to figure out how he didn't end up splattered on the ground as Jane helped him sit on the edge of the bed and she took his sneakers off his feet, placing the sneakers on the floor. Cassandra had told the management that Peter had hurt himself while trying a new trick in the penthouse and promised that he would be able to do the show the next night. Peter wasn't sure how that would be possible after he had seen what he looked like and he looked down at Jane and she smiled up at him.

"If's nae funny," he said in a grumpy tone as she patted his leg then stood up and helped him stand up. Peter's eyes were nearly swollen shut and the skin around his eyes and nose were bruised and swollen. There were several scabs on his upper lip and his right cheek was three different shades of purple. He had a plaster on his cheek and nose and he wondered how they could look at him.

"I know," Jane said softly as she looked at Charlie and nodded her head toward the door. Charlie patted Peter's shoulder as Jane and Charlie left the room and she closed the door. Cassandra walked closer when she brushed the hair out of his eyes then started unbuttoning the blue shirt he was wearing and slid her fingers through the soft chest hair, He titled his head to one side as she moved closer and carefully kissed his lips. It stung a bit as he wrapped his arms around her and she placed her hands on his chest, feeling his heart thumping against her fingers. Moving back, she helped him get undressed then she walked to the bed and moved the bedding back.

"Get in bed," she said as he barely smiled and swaggered to the bed, sat down then slid his long legs under the sheets. He was naked as she looked at his body and stroked the soft chest hairs, making him look down at his chest.

"You li'e touchin' that, don' you?" he asked as she leaned down and did little kisses on his chest. He watched as she moved the bedding up and he sat up, placing the pillow against his back. She walked to the bathroom as he reached up and Cross hopped onto his wrist. Looking at Cross, Peter saw something in the falcon's eyes and Peter frowned and blinked his eyes. Cassandra came out with a towel, a slightly wet flannel and a box of tissues when she placed them on the bed then sat on his legs, looking at him.

"Are you ready?" she asked as he looked at her and nodded his head. Cassandra gently removed the plaster from his nose and cheek as she looked at the stitches and bruised flesh when she felt her heart hurting and she got off the bed, walking to the dresser and opened her purse. She had brought a few things from the house as she walked back to the bed with four, black glass jars and he looked at the jars. "Ok, like I said, this is going to hurt a bit."

"Juff do it," he said as she nodded and opened the first jar. She tapped the jar when three human teeth tumbled into her hand and he looked at the teeth then at her. "A'e dose mine?"

"Yes," she said with a nod of her head when she placed on the rubber gloves she had also taken out of her purse and she saw the look in his eyes. "I "borrowed" them from the hospital."

"Ah," he said as she smiled then opened his mouth and picked up one of the teeth. Peter winced when he felt pain roaring through his skull then felt his gums opening up and she slid the tooth into the hole. She placed the other two teeth back in his mouth then gently closed his mouth and kissed the tears dribbling down his cheeks. She sadly smiled at him when he reached over and stroked her cheek. He lightly coughed after she opened the second jar and he looked at what was in the jar. Several, black leeches wiggled in the water as he looked at her and tried to widen his eyes. "No."

"It's to take the swelling and bruising away," she said and he arched an eyebrow. "Come on. They used to do this all the time. It doesn't really hurt. Don't look at me like that. My grandmother used them on me when I was a kid and whacked my face with a door."

"Fi'e," he said as she helped him lay down on his back and she sat next to him, watching him close his eyes. Taking the first leech out of the jar, she placed the leech on his cheek and felt him tense up a bit. He seemed to relax a few minutes later while she watched the leeches growing fatter and the bruising on Peter's face started fading. After removing the leeches, she opened the third and fourth jars as she dipped her fingers into the white cream and coughed. The white cream smelled like sour milk and rotten eggs as she gently coated his face with the white cream and he half opened his eyes.

"Just lie still. I know it stinks, but it's going to work," she whispered as he rolled his eyes then closed them and she placed more of the white cream on his face. She wiped her fingers off then picked up the fourth jar. The black cream stunk of rotten fish and piss as she placed some of the black cream on his face and his eyes snapped open.

"Dat smells li'e pish!" he said as she hushed him and he closed his eyes, wondering if she really knew what she was doing. After finishing applying the creams and wiping her fingers off, she kissed his forehead and he opened his eyes.

"All done," she said as he felt his face growing warm and numb and he slowly blinked his eyes. He started feeling sleepy and she hushed him, brushing the hair from his eyes. "It's alright. You're supposed to feel sleepy. Don't fight it. Go to sleep and we'll talk later."

"Don' go," he whispered as he started sinking into the darkness and she kissed his hair. After cleaning up and placing Cross on the back of the chair near the door, Cassandra walked to the bed and sat down. Kicking her shoes off, she snuggled closer as she placed her hand on his chest over his heart and he slowly placed his hand on top of her hand. She sweetly kissed his ear as he puffed air out of his mouth and drifted off to sleep. Cassandra watched him sleep when she placed her head on his shoulder and tears gently trickled down her cheeks. It was then that she realized how close she came to losing him and she kissed his earlobe, making him smile. She didn't know why Jean-Phillipe was after them but she swore that he would pay for what he had done to Peter and a low growl bubbled up from her throat.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

The gentle touch of something wet made him jump as Peter heard someone hush him and he slowly opened his eyes. Blinking his eyes a few times, he smiled as Cassandra's face came into focus and she gently patted his face dry. The bruises were nearly gone and the bridge of his nose, lips and cheek had tiny scabs. He looked like he had walked into a door as she sweetly smiled at him and lifted his head, helping him drink something.

"Midori?" he asked after she placed his head down and nodded.

"After all you've been through, you deserve a drink," she teased as he softly laughed and she kissed his lips. She placed the glass on the night table then placed the flannel and towel on the floor and Peter carefully sat up, propping the pillow behind his back. Cassandra snuggled closer when she placed her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her.

"Right, I need to know a few things," he said as he held up his right hand and held up a finger. "One, where is the sword?"

"The sword and the portrait are over there," she said as he lifted his head and looked at the sword lying on top of the dresser.

"Two," he said, holding up a second finger. "He said that he wasn't after me. That means he was after you. So the question is why?"

"Well, see that black book?" she asked as he looked at the book with the black leather cover and nodded his head. "That's my family history. I was reading it while you were in the hospital and found out something about Constance. She wasn't practicing the Black Arts as much as she brought the Night Walkers, or vampires, into our family's life through her engagement to Giacomo. There wasn't much about what happened to her, but there is also a drawing of the sword.

Peter watched as she got up then walked to the dresser, picked up the book, walked back to bed and sat next to him. She placed the book on his lap when she opened the page she marked and he looked at the drawing.

"Three, what does the sword have to do with anything?" he asked and she smiled, kissing the tip of his nose.

"I looked that up," she said and flipped through the book until she found the other page she marked. "According to this, the sword was forged from pure silver and was blessed to destroy all things evil."

"You mean like vampires?" he asked and she nodded her head. He closed the book then placed it on the night table and she snuggled against him. She felt safe in his arms as she stroked the hair on his chest and he smiled at her. "Four, how the fuck did I not end up a puddle of goo on the ground after I fell of the roof?"

"Well, you have Cross to thank for that," she said and Peter looked at Cross, who was sitting on the headboard. He lifted his wrist as Cross hopped onto his wrist and Peter looked at the falcon. "I had gone back for the sword when I heard movement on the roof and walked to the window. Imagine my shock when you went flying off the roof. I let Cross fly and he caught you then brought you back into the room."

"He did?" Peter asked as he stroked Cross' chest and the falcon nodded its head. "Blimey."

"He can be anything that walks or flies," she said when Peter gave her a slightly shocked look and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Peter said as he blinked his eyes and looked at Cross. "I just got the feeling you already told me that."

"No, I don't think so," she said as he sighed and scratched the top of his head, making his hair stand up on his head.

"Oh, I thought you had," Peter sighed and Cross titled its head to one side with a look in its eyes like it knew more than they did. Placing his head back after checking the time, Peter sighed and pinched his eyes closed with his finger and thumb. "Guess it's show time."

"Yep," she said as Peter leaned over and kissed her lips and Cross made a soft cooing sound.

The audience sat down as the lights were lowered and the blue lights lit up the stage. A fine smoky mist spread across the stage as eerie music started playing and a spot light shined on the pentagram hanging over the stage. The young woman slithered out of the fog as they hissed and the lights clicked on, showing them wearing the she-devil costumes. Their hair hung over their breasts as they hissed and the red lipstick the young women wore shimmered in the light. Cassandra was sitting on the floor near one of the fake rocks while she watched the young women slither and hiss at the audience when the eerie music flared and a bright flash of light nearly blinded her. The audience gasped when Peter appeared as if out of thin air and he glared at the young women huddled together at stage right then he slightly smiled at Cassandra and she barely nodded her head. She looked stunning in the blood red dress she was wearing and he turned around and looked down at his cock. To his relief, he wasn't showing how badly he wanted to rip his leather pants off and take her on the stage then he turned back to the audience and smiled.

"Well, guess you heard that I've been sick for the last few days, so I assure you that I am completely recovered. Well, my face looks like shit, but that's what happens when I try a trick without a fucking net!" he said and the audience laughed. Glaring at them, he waved his hands as the audience became quiet and Cassandra pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. Peter had a talk with the young women about what happened with Darcy before the show and Peter held his arms out, looking at the audience. "So without further ado, welcome to Fright Night!"

London, England 1811

The carriage stopped near the marble stairs as the coachman hopped down then opened the door and Giacomo got out of the carriage. He helped Constance out of the carriage as they headed for the marble stairs and went up the stairs. Removing the key from the pocket of his waist coat, Giacomo opened the door when they went inside and he looked around. The house was deadly quiet as Constance gasped at the mutilated body of Kristina lying on the floor and Giacomo turned Constance toward him, placing her face against his chest. She could feel his heart pounding while her hands rested on his chest and he kissed the top of her head. After searching the downstairs, they found more bodies when he led Constance up the servants' stairs to the top floor and headed down the hallway. Stopping at the doors to his bed chamber, he opened the doors as Constance peered inside the room and looked at the dark oak bed with four posts and cream color bedding.

"This would have been our room," she heard him say as she looked at him and tilted her head to one side.

"Would have been?" she asked, wondering if he had changed his mind about marrying and he moved closer, sliding his arms around her and pulled her against him. "Are you changing your mind about marrying me?"

"What? No, of course I still want to marry you," he said with a slightly stunned look on his face and kissed her lips. "I just mean that we are not going to be living in this house."

"No, I guess we're not," she said with a nod of her head and he let go of her, heading down the hallway. Stopping at the doors to the main bed chamber, Giacomo sighed then softly prayed and placed his hands on the door handles. Constance stood next to him when Giacomo opened the door and walked into the room. The smell hit them first as they stood at the center of the room and Constance held her hand to her mouth. Slowly walking toward the bed, Giacomo felt the bile in his throat as he stood at the foot of the bed and looked at the mutilated body of his mother. The blood had soaked into the duvet while his mother lay at the center of the bed and something made him look up at the wall. YOUR SON IS NEXT was painted in blood on the wall over the bed as Constance walked to Giacomo and gasped.

"Come," he said softly as he held her to his side and they walked out of the room. The carriage moved down the path while Giacomo watched the house grow smaller in the distance then turned around and Constance slid into him. Wrapping his arm around her, he held her hand against his chest as he sighed and tears gently slid down his cheeks.

Gasping, Peter sat up on the bed as his heart slammed hard against his ribs and sweat rolled down his chest and back. Leaning against the pillow, he reached over and turned the light on. Moving the duvet back, Peter got up when he placed the black, silk robe on and shuffled toward the door. He had on his black, silk boxers as he tied the black, silk robe shut and opened the door. Heading down the stairs, he saw that the lights from the other hotels lit up the room as he shuffled toward the bar and walked around to the other side of the bar. Flicking the switch which turned the lights on, he leaned against the bar as he thought about the dream he had when he felt like a drink and pinched his eyes closed with his finger and thumb. He knew that the refrigerator was locked as he looked down and saw a pack of cigarillos and his silver lighter. Picking up the pack of cigarillos and the silver lighter, he walked to the window when he took out one of the cigarillos, placed the pack in the pocket of the black, silk robe and lit the cigarillo with the silver lighter. Placing the silver lighter in the pocket, Peter placed his lower arm against the glass as he puffed on the cigarillo and placed his forehead against his lower arm, tears gently rolling down his cheeks.

"Peter?" Cassandra asked as he turned around and looked at her standing half way down the stairs. She was barefoot and wearing a light blue nightshirt with a puppy dog on the front as he smiled and she walked down the stairs, heading toward him. Placing the cigarillo in his mouth, Peter walked closer as she stood near one of the high back chairs and he scratched the back of his neck. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep," he said as he took the cigarillo out of his mouth and she stroked his cheek.

"Want me to make you some warm milk? It usually helps me when I can't sleep."

"Sounds good," Peter said then slid his arm around her waist and they headed for the kitchen.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Jane walked down the stairs when she noticed the chair in front of the window was now facing the window and she slowly walked closer, standing on the right side of the chair. Smiling, she saw Peter sleeping soundly and Cassandra, who was also asleep, was curled up on his lap with her head on his shoulder. The butt of the cigarillo was sitting in in what was left of the warm milk in the glass on the floor as Jane leaned down to pick the glasses up when she looked at Peter and her eyes widened. Jane blushed when she saw that Cassandra's hand was tucked in the flap of Peter's black, silk boxers and Jane stood up, pressing her lips together. Peter snorted while Jane gently flicked his earlobe and he blinked his eyes open then looked at her.

"Morning," Jane whispered as he looked at her then down at Cassandra and softly smiled.

"Morning," he whispered.

"Do you want me to bring breakfast in here?"

"Nah, but I would like a coffee," he whispered as she nodded and headed for the kitchen. Cassandra's fingers moved over his cock when Peter shivered and she gently wrapped her fingers around his cock. "We can go upstairs if you want to play with my "wand"."

"Hunh?" Cassandra grumbled as she half opened her eyes then smiled and gently squeeze his cock. "Good morning."

"Yeah," he said as he looked out the window and she stroked the underside of his cock, making him smile. "Keep that up and Jane is really going to blush."

"She's awake?"

"Yeah, she's making us coffee. So, do you want me to yell for her to bring it upstairs?"

"No," Cassandra said as she removed her hand and he pouted, giving her a hurt look. She smiled as Jane walked to the chairs with two coffee mugs in her hands and Cassandra sat up.

"Two coffees, black with no sugar," she said as she handed the coffee mugs to them then headed back to the kitchen and Cassandra sipped on the coffee while looking at Peter.

"Now what's wrong?" she asked and he blinked his eyes, sipping on the coffee.

"I'm still trying to figure out why De'Avante is after you. What did Constance Lake do to him that he's been stalking your family over the last two hundred years? What does the sword have to do with it? And why the hell am I dreaming about Constance?" he asked as she gave him a confused look while looking over the rim of the coffee mug and blinked.

"You're what?" she asked as she held the coffee mugs in her hands and he sighed, scratching the top of his head.

"I have been having these weird dreams. True, I didn't recognize Constance at first, but she's been in my dreams and I feel like what I'm seeing has happened before. Like I've lived through them and De'Avante was there as well."

"He was?"

"Yeah," he said with a nod of his head and sipped on the coffee. "What I don't get is why I haven't seen Giacomo and what are these dreams trying to tell me?"

"You're going to laugh, but I think the reason you're not seeing Giacomo is because you ARE Giacomo!" she said and his eyes widened.

"Hold on. Are you talking about reincarnation?" he asked and she nodded her head while sipping on the coffee. "Then that makes you Constance."

"Maybe, but I don't think so. I haven't been dreaming about her."

"Then I'm being contacted from the other side?" he asked and she shrugged.

"Maybe," she said and he sipped on the coffee then placed the coffee mug on the floor.

"But why now?"

"I don't know. Maybe seeing De'Avante triggered the connection."

"But I had dreams about Constance days before he showed up. It was always the same dream. Giacomo was outside somewhere and Constance showed up. They were talking about who gave him the sword and she knew that he was a hunter, a slayer. The dream always ended just as they kiss," he said and she softly smiled. Moving closer, she kissed his lips when his lips parted and he could taste the coffee on her tongue.

"TEENAGER IN THE ROOM!" Charlie shouted as he came down the stairs and Cassandra sat up, flipping him off. Charlie laughed as he headed for the kitchen and Peter rolled his eyes, smiled and shook his head.

"I guess we better go eat," he said as Cassandra nodded then got up and helped him stand up. Sliding her arm around his waist, Cassandra placed her head against his arm and they headed for the kitchen.

London, England 1811

The masts of the ship creaked while the light wind caused ripples in the sails and people moved about the dock, going about their business. Seamen carried crates or rolled barrels, passengers headed toward their loved ones or carriages or dock workers called out which directions the nets from two ships were heading. Roberto walked by the people while holding onto two suitcases when he looked behind him and sighed. Giacomo had booked passage for him on a ship going to the Colonies and the thought of running felt like a stone in the pit of his stomach. What convinced him was when Giacomo brought him to the house and showed him their mother's mutilated body. Gaicomo walked beside him as Roberto looked down at his feet and Giacomo placed his hand on Roberto's shoulder.

"Are you sure this is necessary?" Roberto asked.

"Yes," Giacomo said with a nod of his head and Roberto sighed, looking up at the ship to his right.

"But I want to help," he said when Giacomo stopped, gently turned him to face him and Roberto saw the anger in his brother's eyes.

"Roberto, please, you have to understand. We have lost Marcus, Antonia, Mother and Father, not to mention Antonia's family. I will be damned if I am going to lose you as well," Giacomo said and Roberto nodded his head.

"I understand, but wouldn't it be safer facing this bastard together?" he asked and Giacomo sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Yes, but you don't have the training."

"Then train me!" he asked with wide eyes.

"There is no time!"

"But I know how to use a sword."

"It takes more than fancy swordplay to take down De'Avante."

"Then…." Roberto said as Giacomo shook his head and Roberto sighed, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. "Fine, I'll go."

"Good man," Giacomo said as Roberto headed for the gangplank and Giacomo watched him going up the gangplank then walk on deck. Turning around, Giacomo headed into the crowd while Roberto watched him then picked up his suitcases, headed for the gangplank and ran down the gangplank. Keeping to the shadows, Roberto watched Giacomo get onto the carriage then watched the carriage leaving and Roberto smiled, heading down the street.

Peter felt something pulling on his hair when he opened his eyes and saw Cross sitting on the pillow.

"Beak off the hair, Tweety," he grumbled as Cross flew to the dresser while Peter looked at the clock and sighed, rolling onto his back. Cassandra snuggled against him while placing her head on his chest and his heart thumped softly in her ear. After Jane and Charlie had left the penthouse, they had retired to Peter's bedroom and had fallen asleep and he kissed the top of her head, making her smile.

"What time is it?" she asked, stroking her fingers over the tip of his nipple.

"It's time for rehearsal," his voice grumbled in her ear as she looked up at him and sighed.

"Do we have to?' she lightly grumbled and his growling laugh made her giggle.

"I'm afraid so," he said as she moved off him and he got out of bed, He stretched his arms over his head then yelped when she gently smacked his bottom and he turned around, leaned on the bed and his eyes went wide. "Naughty!"

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked then yelped as he dived on the bed and started tickling her. Cross covered its eyes with its wings while their laughter echoed in the room and Cross turned around to face the wall.

Charlie had gone over to Amy's house to study as Jane sat outside in the car when the door opened and Charlie and Amy walked down the front path. Jane smiled when she got the feeling that someone was watching her but didn't want to turn her head and saw that Charlie and Amy had stopped, looking at something.

"Mom, get out of the car!" Charlie shouted as Jane opened the door and got out of the car. She ran to Charlie and Amy when she stood next to them and they looked at the person standing on the other side of the car.

"Who the hell is that?" Amy asked as Jean-Phillipe walked around the other side of the car and leaned against the side of the car. Jane knew she should have told Charlie to bring Amy to the penthouse as Jean-Phillipe walked closer and stood in front of them, folding his arms over his chest.

"I am only going to say this once," he said as he walked to Charlie and Charlie moved Amy and Jane behind him. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" Charlie asked.

"Don't play game with me, Mon Ami. Where is the sword?" Jean-Phillipe growled and Charlie saw his eyes flashing in a red light and clenched his jaw.

"What sword?"

"I said don't play games with me!" Jean-Phillipe shouted when Charlie kicked Jean-Phillipe in the balls and Jean-Phillipe fell to his knees, an inhuman scream filling the air. Charlie, Jane and Amy ran for the car as Jane started the car and a feeling of déjà vu moved through her. The car sped down the street as Jean-Phillipe slowly stood up with his hands over his throbbing balls and he growled, changed into a black mist and vanished.

The police car sat behind the large sign as Officer Jake Miller sat behind the steering wheel and yawned. He wondered what he had done to end up doing what he was doing and flicked the tracking gun on and off. He jumped when something hit the roof of the car and he got out of the car, taking the gun out of the holster on his left hip. Holding the gun tightly in his hands, he looked around as the darkness surrounded him and he moved around to the back of the car. Yelping, he hit the ground hard when something grabbed onto his ankles and pulled him under the car. The car moved side to side then stopped and someone crawled out from under the car. The driver's side door opened as someone got into the car then closed the door and blood spread out from under the car.

The car soared down the road while Jane held the steering wheel tightly in her hands and Amy looked out the back window. She suddenly saw the blue and red lights in the darkness and the sirens caused Jane to look at the rearview mirror.

"Shit," she said.

"No, Mom, don't stop!" Charlie said.

"I have to," Jane said as she pulled the car onto the side of the road and the police car pulled up behind them. Amy watched as someone in a dirty policeman's uniform got out of the police car then walked toward the car and Jane frowned as she looked at the review mirror. "There's no one there."

"What?" Amy asked as whoever it was walked to the driver's side window then leaned over to look at Jane and her heart nearly stopped as Jean-Phillipe smiled at her and placed his hand on the roof of the car.

"Hello, Cheri," he said as his eyes flashed in a red light and a small smile appeared on his face.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

The car pulled up to the curb as the doors opened and Jean-Phillipe looked at the house. He was holding onto Amy by her neck as Charlie glared at him and Jane held Charlie to her side.

"Move," Jean-Phillipe said as he pushed Charlie and they walked along the front path. Going up the stairs, they stood in front of the door as he folded his arms over his chest and looked at Jane. Motioning with his hand, Jean-Phillipe looked at the door and Jane walked to the door.

"It's locked," she said as she jiggled the door handle and Jean-Phillipe growled, walked to the door and kicked the door open.

"Now it's not," Jean-Phillipe said with a grin then did a little bow, pointing with his hands for them to go inside. Amy walked to the doorway when she tried to go inside but something stopped her and she looked at Charlie.

"I can't go inside," she said as Jean-Phillipe walked to the doorway and held his hand palm up toward the doorway. He could feel the barrier in the doorway then looked at Jane and Charlie and pointed to the doorway. Sighing, Jane walked inside as she looked at Jean-Phillipe and he held Amy against him. Charlie balled his hands into fists as he walked inside and Jean-Phillipe gave them a blank look.

"Invite us in," Jean-Phillipe said as he stroked his fingers on Amy's cheek and smiled. "Or Petite Amy dies!

Amy yelped as Jean-Phillipe pulled her head back by her hair and Jane gasped when Jean-Phillipe features changed and slime clung to his fangs.

"No, don't hurt her!" she shouted as Jean-Phillipe pushed Amy away from him and looked at them.

"Well, Cheri, let us in!" he said as she looked at Amy then at Charlie and Jean-Phillipe folded his arms over his chest, tapping his finger on his lower arm.

"Come in," Jane said softly as Jean-Phillipe frowned and tilted his head to one side.

"I can't hear you," he said as he pulled Amy back to him and his fingernails had grown into long claws. "Care to try again?"

"Come in!" Jane growled as Jean-Phillipe pushed Amy forward and she ran inside, heading toward Charlie. Charlie wrapped his arms around her as Jane looked at Jean-Phillipe and he smiled at her. Taking a tentative footstep forward, he came in as he looked around and Jane half ran to Charlie. Jean-Phillipe rubbed his hands together as he walked toward the stairs that led upstairs and he sat on the bottom step, looking at them. "Oui, now where is the sword?"

"I told you that I don't know!" Charlie shouted and Jean-Phillipe placed his lower arms on the tops of his thighs and he sighed, shaking his head.

"Then there is only one thing left to do," he said but none of them had time to move as he appeared in front of Charlie and grabbed him by the neck, locking eyes with him. "Call the witch!"

The mist moved over the stage as Cassandra watched Peter hanging upside down by a chain and a bed of sharp blades was underneath him. Peter was trying to get out of the straightjacket he was wearing as a candle burned the rope and the rope was slowly lowering Peter toward the stage. She smiled when she saw Cross standing straight on the branch it was sitting on and it flew into the air, flying to her. Peter frowned as the audience laughed and he looked over at the young women, nodding his head. They lowered him to the stage then got him out of the straightjacket and he half ran to Cassandra, kneeling down in front of her.

"What's wrong?" he whispered while stroking the feathers on Cross' back and Cassandra shrugged. Cross seemed agitated as it moved up and down her arm and Peter stood up, looking at the audience. "Excuse me, Ladies and Gentlemen, we'll be right back."

The lights came up as they walked off the stage and Peter held Cassandra to his side. Cross growled and fidgeted as they walked toward the lift when Cross took flight and headed down the hallway. Shrugging, they ran after the falcon when they came to the exit door and Cross landed on the metal bar that opened the door. Cassandra held her wrist out as Cross hopped onto her wrist and Peter opened the door. Cross suddenly flew outside as it headed for her car and they chased after the falcon. Cross landed on the roof of her car as they looked at each other and half ran to the car. Cross walked back and forth on the roof of the car when Cassandra snapped her fingers and the car doors unlocked. Getting into the car, Peter placed Cross on the floor then buckled the seatbelt and Cassandra looked at the steering wheel.

"Shit," she said when Peter unbuckled the seatbelt, slid onto her lap then reached under the steering column and pulled on the wires. He hotwired the car as the motor roared into life when he looked up at her and her eyes were wide. "How the fuck did you do that?"

"Remind me to tell you about my bad boy days," he said with a wink then sat up and placed the seatbelt back on. Kissing his cheek, she put the car in reverse and the car headed out of the parking lot. Cross grew irritated as Peter picked the falcon up then opened the window and Cassandra looked at him, nodding her head. Holding Cross in his hands, Peter let go as Cross flew into the darkness and Peter was surprised when Cross started glowing in a white light and Cassandra softly smiled. "Blimey."

Jean-Phillipe watched while Charlie took the cellphone out of his pocket and started pushing the buttons. He didn't have Cassandra's cellphone number as he dialed Peter's cellphone and hoped that he had the cellphone turned on. Charlie winced when Peter's voicemail message came on and he turned around, looking at the wall.

"Peter? It's Charlie. I need you to bring Cassandra and the sword to Cassandra's house. De'Avante's here," he whispered when Jean-Phillipe walked to him and took the cellphone out of Charlie's hand.

"Who are you talking to?" he demanded.

"Someone who's going to kick your ass," Charlie shouted then ducked when Jean-Phillipe swung at him and Charlie ran up the stairs. Growling, Jean-Phillipe ran after him when something hit him in the back and saw Jane at the bottom of the stairs, holding her shoe in her right hand.

"Are you serious?" he asked as he headed down the stairs when a loud screeching sound filled the air and Jean-Phillipe turned around, his eyes widening. Cross sailed toward him as the talons flexed in and out and the screech almost sounds inhuman. Cross clawed at Jean-Phillipe's face as he tumbled down the stairs then crashed to the floor and covered his face with his arms. A whistle made Jean-Phillipe looked up to see Peter and Cassandra standing next to Amy and Jane and Jean-Phillipe careful got to his feet, wiping the blood from his face. Peter had called the hotel and told the manager that he was taking Cross to the vet and Cassandra held Peter around his waist, glaring at Jean-Phillipe. Cross sat on Cassandra's wrist as Jean-Phillipe walked to Peter and titled his head to one side. Peter was still in makeup as he glared at Jean-Phillipe and Jean-Phillipe sniffed the air. "No, this is impossible!"

Before Peter could move, Jean-Phillipe pulled the wig off of Peter's head as Peter smiled, ruffling his hair into a wild mess and Jean-Phillipe's eyes widened.

"Surprise," Peter said as he pulled the sideburns, moustache and goatee off and flicked the eyebrow ring at him.

"How did you…? No, this is impossible! I killed you!"

"Yeah, whatever," Peter sighed as he placed the goatee, moustache and sideburns in the pocket of his leather coat and looked over at Charlie, who was walking down the stairs. "You ok?"

"Yeah," Charlie said as he walked to Amy and Jane and slid his arms around Amy's waist. Jean-Phillipe growled when he slammed his fist into the wall and bits of plaster and wood dribbled down to the floor.

"Hey!" Cassandra shouted as he pulled his fist out of the wall and several wires hissed and crackled while sticking out of the hole in the wall. "Oh, you shouldn't have done that!"

Suddenly the house started shaking as Amy and Jane screamed while large cracks appeared on the walls and ceiling and the chandeliers crashed to the floor. Large chunks of plaster started falling as Cross flew outside and Charlie led Amy and Jane to the door, going outside. Jean-Phillipe growled while glaring at Cassandra and Peter and Peter carefully backed up toward the door. Before Jean-Phillipe could move, a large chunk of the ceiling crashed down on top of Jean-Phillipe while Peter and Cassandra ran outside and they stood near the car, watching the house fall in on itself. Lights came on from the other houses as car alarms blared around them and people started coming out of the houses.

"I suggest we get the fuck out of here before the cops show up," Peter said as they nodded and they got in the cars, closing the doors behind them. By the time the house had complete collapsed, the cars headed down the street and the sound of sirens filled the air.

The blue and red lights sparkled in the darkness as the fire and police vehicles sat at the curbs and some of the police officer talked to the neighbors. The firemen carefully walked through the rubble as one of the firemen looked at the large pile of rubble when he thought he heard something moaning and bent down, carefully moving some of the rubble. He yelped when something grabbed hold of him and dragged him into the rubble. The rubble moved when a large cloud of black smoke floated into the air and a low growling sound came from the black smoke.

Peter stood near the window as he looked at the lights twinkling in the darkness and sipped on some Midori. Cassandra had given Amy and Jane something to put them into a dreamless sleep to calm them down and Charlie was sitting on the chair in front of the gas powered fireplace, checking the news sites for any reports about Cassandra's house. Sighing, Peter placed the glass on top of Charlie's head as he headed for the stairs and Charlie took the glass off his head, placing the glass on the floor. Peter walked up the stairs when he walked down the hallway, stood in the doorway to the bedroom he gave Cassandra and saw her lying under the duvet. The light from the hallway made it easy to see her as he sighed and walked down the hallway, going inside his room. Closing the door, Peter turned the light on as he walked to the bathroom and turned the light on. He stood in front of the mirror as he looked at his reflection and held onto the sink with both hands.

"Some fucking hero you turned out to be. You couldn't save Ginger. You ran when Charlie needed you when Ed showed up. You let Charlie face off against Jerry when you're the one with the knowhow when it comes to fighting those bastards. You faint like a fucking girl when you first lay eyes on De'Avante. Now you can't even comfort the woman you're falling in love with because it was your fucking ancestor that caused this whole fucking mess! Maybe I'm just kidding myself! I'm not magician! I'm just some guy that lies and cheats people! If I was any sort of magic man, I would have my own familiar, but, no, I've got…." Peter said when something growled in the other room and Peter slowly turned around, walking back into the bedroom. He stood in the doorway when he saw something lying on the bed and his eyes widened. "Fuck."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

Peter carefully walked toward the bed as the ice blue eyes looked at him and the tail moved back and forth. Standing at the foot of the bed, Peter slowly moved his hand forward when his fingers felt the soft fur and the ice blue eyes blinked.

"You know, when I thought about what my familiar would look like, I never would have guessed it would be you," he said as he sat on the foot of the bed and the white Bengal tiger moved closer, butting him in the back. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I think you are bloody cool, but are you sure you got the right guy? Tigers are these tough, powerful creatures and that is definitely not me! I'm more the scared out of their fucking mind bunny rabbit sort of guy. You didn't eat the bunny, did you? I wouldn't blame you if you did. I royally fucked up. I have no fucking clue what's going on and I really don't think…."

The tiger butted him in the back again as he looked at the tiger and the tiger gently pawed at his left leg. Peter looked deeply into the ice blue eyes then gently smiled, slid onto his side and cupped his head in his hand. The tiger moved closer as it went face to face with him and Peter felt the warm breath on his face. Before he could move, the tiger started licking his face as he gasped and laughed.

"Ok, fine, I get it. You're real and you're my familiar. The question now is what am I supposed to do?" Peter asked as he rolled onto his back, wiped his face with his hands and looked at the ceiling. Placing his hands behind his head, he stared at the stucco, making patterns with his finger. He looked over at the tiger when he noticed the blue, leather collar around the tiger's neck and a gold tag gently moved back and forth. Taking the gold tag in his fingers, Peter blinked his eyes a few times and smiled. "Ah, your name's Boe, is it?"

Boe grumbled as it nodded its head and Peter sat up, folding one leg over the other. Boe gently placed its head on Peter's lap as he smiled and ran his fingers through the soft fur.

"Right, so that we're straight. You sleep on the floor until I can get a proper bed for you. Got me?" Peter asked with a grin and Boe licked his fingers. He watched as Boe got off the bed then spun around three times near the night table and went to lie on the floor. Sighing, Peter pulled the duvet off the bed when he motioned with his hand for Boe to stand up and the tiger stood up. Lying the duvet on the floor then fluffing it up a bit, Peter pointed with his hands and Boe snuggled down on the duvet. Moving the bedding back, Peter crawled onto the bed then moved the bedding up and looked down at the tiger. Patting Boe on the head, Peter turned the light off and pulled the bedding over his head. Boe looked up at him then walked to the door, closed the door then walked back to the duvet, turned around three times, flopped down on the bedding and closed its eyes.

London, England 1811

The night air was chilly while the full moon shone brightly in the sky and the stars twinkled like a thousand diamonds against the blackness. The moonlight casted long shadows long the stone walls of the small cottage and the lone light shone from behind the window. Crudely cut, wooden planks dangled down from the roof that covered the porch and a wooden rocking chair sat on the porch. The boot heels crunched on the stone path as the shadowy figure walked along and a sword dangled from the figure's hip. The figure walked toward the small cottage as the red eyes shimmered in the moonlight and the fingers flexed over the handle of the sword. It had taken days to find the stone cottage as the figure looked at the doorway and lightly laughed as the markings on the crudely cut, wooden planks flared in the darkness.

"Witch!" Jean-Phillipe shouted as he stood at the bottom of the wooden steps and balled his hand into a fist. The stone cottage belonged to Constance's grandmother and he could just see the curtain moving back as he rolled his eyes and a low growl bubbled in his throat. "Do not play games, Cheri! I will burn your cottage down around your ears if you do not come out!"

"I am not afraid of you, Night Walker!" a voice called from the house and Jean-Phillipe smiled. He always thought the moniker the witches gave him and his family to be slightly amusing and he rubbed his face with his hands then rubbed his hands together.

"You must know that I have killed the family of the man your granddaughter is betrothed to. I have no qualms in killing her as well!" he shouted when the door opened and a bolt of blue light sailed out the door, making him dive toward the ground and rolling out of the way. Getting up, he dusted himself off as he laughed and shook his head side to side. "You missed."

"But I won't!" a voice cried out as Jean-Phillipe turned around and saw someone walking out of the shadows. The moonlight shimmered on the white gown as Constance walked closer and Jean-Phillipe smiled, folding his arms over his chest. She was holding onto a wooden staff with an iron lantern dangling from the end of the wooden staff and she stopped, standing a few feet away from him.

"I have no real argument with you, Cheri. So why don't you tell me where he is and I will be on my way," Jean-Phillipe said while walking toward her then stopped when she held up a silver cross and he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Do you really think that will stop me?"

"Yes!" she said with conviction in her voice and Jean-Phillipe walked closer, pulled the silver cross out of her hand while smoke rose from his hand and tossed the silver cross into the shadows.

"Now, unless you have a stake under that gown, I suggest that you tell me where he is," Jean-Phillipe purred after moving his face toward her ear and grabbed hold of the wooden staff. The runes carved into the wooden staff glimmered as he looked at the wooden staff then arched his eyebrows up and turned, tossing the wooden staff at the small cottage. The wooden staff had sailed through the window as the small cabin exploded and a scream echoed from within the fireball that rose toward the sky. Before she could move, Jean-Phillipe smacked her hard enough to knock her to the ground and she lay on her back, the world blurring in red and orange waves. She felt him lift her up as the blackness consumed her and his laughter echoed in her ears.

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

The sound of screaming woke Peter as he sat up and turned the light on. The numbers on the alarm clock read three thirty-two as he moved the bedding back and nearly tripped over Boe. Boe snorted as it looked at him and Peter placed the black, silk robe on then headed for the door. Boe followed him down the hallway when he saw the lights on in the bedroom where Jane, Amy and Charlie were sleeping and they came out into the hallway, looking at Peter then at Boe.

"Uh…" Charlie said as Peter shook his head and walked into the bedroom where Cassandra was sleeping. Turning the lights on, Peter walked toward the bed and saw that Cassandra was curled into a ball under the bedding. Peter carefully sat on the edge of the bed when she rolled onto her back and looked up at him.

"Hello," he said when he moved toward the headboard and placed his legs on the bed. He nearly fell off the bed when she half jumped on top of him and he wrapped his arms around her. Her warm tears rolled down his chest as he kissed the top of her head and looked at the doorway. Jane led Amy and Charlie away as Boe closed the door, turned around three times and flopped onto the floor in front of the door. Cross, who was sitting on the dresser, glanced over at Boe then looked at Peter and Peter slightly shrugged his shoulders. Cassandra sobbed quietly while Peter rocked her and gently rubbed her back. He looked over at the night table when he removed some tissues from the box and lifted her chin, wiping her nose with the tissues. "Yuck, you're all drippy."

Her mind was still replaying the nightmare when Cassandra slowly became aware of him and gently smiled, nodding her head. Peter lowered her chin as she placed her head on his chest and stroked the slightly damp chest hair.

"So, what's the matter? Or do you normally scream like this at three in the morning?" he asked as she hiccupped a sigh and stroked the underside of his nipple.

"I dreamt about her," she whispered and he lifted her chin, giving her a confused look.

"You dreamt about who?"

"I'm talking about Constance Lake."

"And what was she doing in the dream?"

"She was confronting De'Avante. I think they were at her grandmother's cabin. I don't know why, but that's where they were."

"Ok, then what happened?"

"He wanted to know where he was, I think he meant Giacomo, but she wasn't going to tell him. That's when De'Avante grabbed this witch's staff she was holding and tossed the staff through the window of the cabin,. The place went up in a ball of fire and….," Cassandra said then started crying again and he hushed her, rocking her back and forth. It took a few minutes for her to calm down while he wiped her eyes and nose and she gently flexed her fingers on his chest.

"What happened next?" he finally asked and she sighed, kissing his chest.

"He knocked her out," she whispered and he nodded his head.

"Sounds like we're getting close to the end of our little mystery," he said and she rubbed the tip of his nipple with her fingers.

"Only the part of what happened to her. We still don't know what happened to Giacomo or why I have the portrait and the sword. We don't even know why De'Avante is after me," she sighed and he slightly smiled, kissing the top of her head. Snuggling closer, Cassandra listened to his heartbeat when she noticed Boe lying on the floor near the door and looked up at Peter. "Um, where did the tiger come from?"


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: There is some sex in this chapter. Please skip if you can't read it.

Chapter Twenty Two

Boe got up when it walked over to her side of the bed then placed its chin on the bed and she looked at Peter. He nodded she slowly rolled onto her side, reached over and scratched the back of Boe's ear.

"Remember when you told me that familiars are considered to be an aspect of one's life and reflects that self?" he asked and she nodded her head. "Well, he's mine. Bugger me, but I pictured it to be something like a bunny or a ferret. Imagine my surprise when I walked out of the bathroom and found him sitting on my bed. I just don't know where he came from."

"Well, my grandmother said that familiars are from the spirit world and come and go when needed," she said as Boe purred while she scratched its ear and Peter placed his chin on her shoulder.

"But why did it take so long for him to show himself to me?" Peter asked then went to lie on his back and she rolled over, climbing on top of him.

"I think it had to do with you not believing in yourself. You have built so many walls around this that nothing can get in," she said as she kissed the spot over his heart and he sighed, placing his arms around her.

"Fuck, you're right, but I had my reasons," he said and she placed her hands on his chest and placed her chin on the back of her hands.

"Like what?" she asked and he gave her a blank look.

"Well, Miss Nosy Nose, my last girlfriend was murdered just outside the lift," he said as he told her about Jerry, Ed and Ginger and her eyes went wide.

"Shit," she whispered and he nodded his head.

"And that wasn't the first time I met Jerry. He, uh, he…" he said as she felt his body tensing up and she kissed his chest,

"Tell me about it later," she said and he nodded his head. "The thing is, you've walled everything up that you've forgotten how to love someone or let them in."

"I wouldn't mind if you came in," he teased as the dimples dented his cheeks and she arched an eyebrow. She lifted the key off his chest then poked the end of the key in his chest and made a clicking sound while turning the key. A warm feeling moved through him as Peter deeply sighed and she smiled at him. Boe went to lie on the floor while Cross turned around and faced the wall. Peter watched as Cassandra did little kisses on his chest and slid her hands under the black, silk robe, sliding her hands up his sides. She sat up with him as they removed the black, silk robe and the black, silk robe sailed to the floor. Both of them smiled when Boe appeared and picked the black, silk robe off the floor. Walking to the chair near the door, Boe placed the black, silk robe on the chair then spun around three times, settled down on the floor with its back to the bed and Peter grinned.

"Where were we?" he whispered then slid onto his back and Cassandra moved up a little to kiss his lips. His tongue slid by her lips as he rubbed his tongue against her teeth and kissed her deeply. Breathless, they parted as she kissed down his neck and sucked on his Adam's apple. Peter sighed as he pulled onto her nightshirt and she sat up, pulling the nightshirt off and tossed it onto the chair. "Good shot."

Cassandra softly giggled then nuzzled his neck and sucked on his earlobe. He giggled as she kissed his shoulders and stroked his nipples with her fingers. His nipples pebbled under her fingers as she kissed along his chest and sucked on one nipple, swirling her tongue around the tip. Peter lightly grunted as she pinched his nipples between her fingers and thumbs and he felt his heart pumping hard in his chest. Peter stretched his arms over his head as she kissed down his chest while her fingers drifted along his sides and she kissed the appendix scar on his stomach. Her tongue moved over the dent the scar made in his skin and he felt a cool tingle rippling through his body.

"Oh fuck!" he moaned as her tongue dipped in and out of his navel and she kissed down to his crotch. Sitting on his legs, she moved her fingers along his crotch as his cock tapped against her thighs and she smiled at him. Peter looked at her with sad puppy eyes as he made a soft whimpering sound and she lightly laughed, shaking her head. He gasped as she pinched and massaged his balls and he arched his head back, rolling his eyes. His cock was growing harder and hotter as she slid her hands around his cock and stroked the underside, feeling the quick pulse thumping in the thick veins. Peter moaned as she stroked and massaged his cock then he gasped when she placed the tip of his cock into her mouth and licked the tip. She moved his cock further into her mouth while she sucked and slid her tongue around his cock and his heart started beating double time against his ribs. She sucked and licked his cock as his body shook and he balled his hands on the bed. His mind numbed over as he climaxed and poured his seed down her throat. His body went limp on the bed as Cassandra slid her cock out of her mouth and she climbed up his sweaty body. He was breathing hard and fast through his nose as he grinned at her and she kissed his lips, moving her fingers through the wet hair on his chest. "Shit."

Smiling, Cassandra got off the bed when she went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Cassandra came out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth and gargling with some mouthwash she found in the medicine cabinet and had a slightly wet flannel and a towel in her hands. Peter was still awake while he watched her walking to the bed and she sat on the edge of the bed, cleaning him off. She patted him dry then placed the towel and flannel on the floor. Climbing onto the bed, she snuggled against him as she listened to his heartbeat slowing down and she slid her hand along his chest then held onto his side. His heartbeat had slowed as she looked up and saw that he had fallen asleep and she smiled, reached over and turned the light off.

London, England 1811

Giacomo stood near the fountain while the water dribbled down from the stone dolphins and he sighed, brushing the hair from his eyes. He had taken Constance to the manor home he had purchased for after they were married and she laughed when he picked her up and carried her over the threshold. He had become concerned when he woke up to find her not in her room and had sent the servants to search the town for her.

"_Did she decide to leave me?" _he thought as he tossed a pebble into the water and the pebble skipped three times then sunk into the water and the ripples spread over the surface of the water. Sighing, he started walking back toward the manor house when he saw one of his servants half running toward him and Giacomo stopped near the statue of Apollo, which was naked and held a bow in its hands. The servant panted as he stopped in front of Giacomo and Giacomo waited for the man to catch his breath.

"Are you alright?" he asked and the man nodded his head. "Has there been word about Lady Constance?"

"Aye, Surh, a man delivered this just a moment ago," the man said as he handed Giacomo a small parcel wrapped in brown paper and the brown paper was tied shut by a black string. Nodding, Giacomo waved his hand at the man, dismissing him, and the man walked away. Giacomo's hands were shaking as he opened the parcel and looked at the black, wooden box. He opened the black, wooden box when the black, wooden box fell to the ground and a woman's severed ring finger tumbled out of the box. A gold ring with a large emerald surrounded by diamond sparkled in the sunlight and the ring was Constance' engagement ring. Picking the severed finger off the ground, Giacomo placed his head back and the birds flew out of the trees while he screamed then dropped to his knees, holding the severed finger to his chest.

Constance didn't have any more tears to shed. She didn't even scream when De'Avante used a knife to remove her ring finger nor when he used a hot poker to seal the wound. He had wrapped her hand in linen then laughed when he placed the severed finger in the box and left the room. She had no idea where she was. All she knew was she was in a stone room and the only light came from a tiny window high above her. She cursed herself for not bringing Cross with her, but she felt that Cross would best serve as Giacomo's protector and she sighed, thinking that she should have taught him how to summon his own familiar.

"Oh, Great Mother, keep my lover safe and sent him his protector," she whispered then jumped when something growled in the shadows and she backed up toward the stone wall. The shadows surrounded her when she saw a pair of ice blue eyes shimmering in the shadows and she heard soft footfalls on the stone floor. Something growled in the shadows as she realized what it was and she walked closer, kneeling down at the edge of the shadows. "Please, go to my love. He needs you."

She watched as the ice blue eyes vanished when she walked to the straw bed in the corner and went to lie down. Placing her injured hand against her chest, she closed her eyes as she softly prayed and a single tear moved down her cheek.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

"No, she cannot be dead!" Giacomo shouted as he stood up and looked at the severed finger. He carefully picked up the black, wooden box as he placed the severed finger inside and closed the lid. Cross was sitting on the branch above him as Giacomo looked up at the falcon and held his wrist out. Cross flew into the air then landed on Giacomo's wrist and they headed down the path toward the manor house. The grounds had become deathly quiet as he placed the black, wooden box on the top of a flat boulder and removed the silver blade sword from the scabbard, holding the handle of the silver blade sword in his hands. "Who is there?"

The wind blew through his hair when something moved through the bushes and he watched the leaves moving back and forth. His heart slammed against his ribs when the leaves parted and a pair of ice blue eyes looked at him. He couldn't believe what he was looking at as the white Bengal tiger stood, watching him with trepidation in its eyes. Neither of them moved until Giacomo slowly placed the silver blade sword back in the scabbard and the white Bengal tiger walked closer. Kneeling down onto his haunches, Giacomo watched while the white Bengal tiger stopped near his feet and titled its head to one side.

"What are you?" he asked as the white Bengal tiger blinked its eyes then looked over at Cross, who was sitting on the boulder next to the black, wooden box. Giacomo looked at Cross when he stood up and walked to the boulder. "Are you saying you're a familiar?"

Giacomo was stunned when the white Bengal tiger sneezed while nodding its head and Giacomo's eyes went wide. He walked back to the tiger then knelt down on his haunches again and carefully reached out his hand. The fur felt soft and warm as he stroked the tiger's left ear and a low purr came from the tiger's throat.

"Did the Lady Constance send you to me? She must have. I am not witch or wizard and could not sent for you myself," he said and the tiger nodded its head. Standing up, Giacomo walked to the boulder when he held his wrist out and Cross jumped onto his wrist. Giacomo picked up the black, wooden box when he walked over to the tiger and looked down at it with a look of anger in his eyes. "Take me to her."

The tiger turned then headed for the trees and Giacomo followed close behind. He hadn't noticed that the trees had grown thicker or that there was no light or little sound and the tiger walked slowly in front of him.

"_I guess that is so I don't lose my way,"_ he thought as they walked along the path when the trees seemed to melt together and darkness surrounded them.

"_There are paths that you cannot see, My Love. These paths weave between this world and the world of magic and only a select few can walk then without going mad."_

Constance had told him that as he kept his eyes on the tiger and did not dare look to the left or to the right. He didn't want to know what was out there in the darkness and that might be why those that walk these paths go mad. The tiger kept walking when Giacomo heard the soft sound of water dripping in the darkness and could barely see the spot of light in the distance. The tiger walked faster and Giacomo half ran to keep up. The light grew brighter while he could just see what looked like stone walls when the tiger stopped at the center of what he thought was a cell and Giacomo followed until he was standing in front of the tiger.

"Is my lady here?" he asked when Cross looked to see Constance lying on the straw mat and Cross turned, pulling on Giacomo hair. He slowly turned when his heart clutched in his chest and he placed Cross on the unlit, wooden torch that was sticking out of the wall. He wasn't sure of Constance was breathing as he walked carefully toward the straw mat and fell to his knees beside her, placing the black, wooden box on the ground next to him. Pulling her up into his arms, he held her against him while rocking her and she lightly breathed in his ear. He kissed her slightly cold lips as he felt the tears rolling down his cheeks and whispered her name over and over, praying that she could hear his voice and would open her eyes. "Please, My Dearest, open your eyes."

He rocked her as he started sobbing when her hand slowly moved up his arm and Constance fluttered her eyes open. She placed her hand against his chest as his heart thumped wildly against her fingers and she sighed.

"Constance!" he gasped as he looked at her and she gently stroked his damp cheek. He kissed her lips then moved back and Constance looked at the tiger sitting on the ground next to them.

"Thank you," she whispered as the tiger stood up and walked toward the shadows. They watched the tiger vanish as Giacomo rubbed her back and she smiled up at him. "You do know what that was, don't you?"

"He was my familiar. But that is impossible. I am not a wizard or a witch," he said and she coughed a laugh.

"No, you are a hunter."

"And the tiger is a mighty hunter," he said softly and she nodded. Giacomo gently lifted her hand as he looked at the linen wrapped around the gap where her ring finger had been and he brought her hand up to his mouth, gently kissing the back of her hand. "My poor angel, he will pay for maiming you."

"We could always say I did it cutting into an apple," she teased and a soft laugh bubbled in his throat.

"Do you think you can stand?" he asked when the door to the cell opened and they looked to see who had come into the room.

"I prefer it if she didn't," De'Avante said as he crossed his arms over his chest and Giacomo glared at him.

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

Both Cassandra and Peter gasped when they snapped open their eyes and they looked at each other. The room was still dark when Boe got up and walked over to the curtains, taking hold of the curtain and gently pulled the curtain open. They watched as it moved to the other curtains until the sunlight came into the room and they blinked their eyes. Boe walked to the bed when it placed its chin on the bed and looked at them. Cassandra smiled then patted the soft fur on Boe's head and Peter sat up, placing the pillows behind him. Cassandra snuggled against him as she placed her head on Peter's chest and he reached over for the silver flask that was sitting on the night table. Opening the silver flask, he sniffed the top of the silver flask then saw Boe on his side of the bed and the ice blue eyes locked with his. They stared at each other for a long while until Peter closed the silver flask then placed the silver flask on the night table and Boe walked to the door, spun around three times and settled on the floor, still watching him.

"Guess someone wants you sober," Cassandra whispered.

"Someone other than you and Jane?" he asked with a grin and she giggled, kissing his chest.

"Yep," she said with a nod of her head and he placed his arms around her then placed the back of his head against the headboard.

"I dreamt about him last night," Peter said as he nodded his head toward Boe.

"Yeah, I did as well."

"Did you…I mean…did she lose a finger? Constance, that is?"

"Yeah, that's the story. De'Avante cut off her ring finger and sent the finger to Giacomo," she said as Peter picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"He must have been fucking pissed off!" Peter said as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and she nodded her head. "She sent Boe to him, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but he would have met him sooner or later."

"But he's not a witch."

"And you aren't a wizard. You are a hunter," Cassandra said while poking him in the chest and he placed her hand over his heart.

"That's what she said to Giacomo."

"And that's why Boe came to him. Both of you are predators against the darkness," she said and he softly smiled.

"I am NO predator! I am just a conman that makes people see what I want them to see."

"Do you want me to show you what I see?" she asked while climbing on top of him and Peter smiled, arching his eyebrows up.

The audience was engrossed while Peter hung upside down over the bed of nails and was trying to remove the straight jacket. He was still a little tired after the three times he had sex with Cassandra and she looked funny upside down. She watched him while the flame burned the rope and the rope lowered Peter closer to the bed of nails. The audience held their breath when the light flared and smoke filled the stage. The young women knew to move quickly as they lowered Peter to the stage and got him out of the straight jacket. The smoke cleared as Peter stood near the bed of nails and the audience cheered. Peter bowed when he looked over to where Cassandra should have been standing and his heart caught in his chest. Jean-Phillipe was standing behind Cassandra as he held her by her throat and half of his face was torn and caked with dried blood. Peter knew that Jean-Phillipe still could come into the showroom as he tried to figure out how to get Cassandra away from Jean-Phillipe and Jean-Phillipe smiled at him.

"I don't think so, Mon Ami," Jean-Phillipe snarled then a thick black smoke enveloped them and flew into the air. The audience watched in shock as Peter fell to his knees then placed his head back and screamed.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

London, England 1811

"Whatever your quarrel is, it is with me not Constance!" Giacomo said and De'Avante laughed.

"You call the slaughter of my family a mere quarrel? YOU slaughtered them!" he shouted and Giacomo frowned, his hand resting on the handle of the silver blade sword.

"I am not Roberto Vincenzi!" he shouted and De'Avante walked closer, locking eyes with him.

"I know full well who you are, Mon Ami, and I place your father's blame on you!"

"So you wish to take your revenge by slaughtering my family?" he asked then looked at Constance. "What about her? She had done nothing to you."

"It was her kind that gave him the means to destroy my family," De'Avante said, pointing to the silver blade sword.

"No, her grandmother gave this to me!" Giacomo said and a smirk spread across De'Avante's face.

"Oui, after your father had…retired. You never asked where it came from?"

"No," Giacomo said while shaking his head and De'Avante laughed.

"Well, I will give you points for journeying all this way for the woman you say you love," he said and Giacomo's eyes widened.

"I DO love her!" he shouted and De'Avante tilted his head to one side.

"Then prove it, Mon Ami, fight for her!" De'Avante said then removed the steel blade sword from the scabbard on his back and a wicked grin split his face.

"No, please, he is an expert swordsman!" Constance said as Gaicomo looked at her, kissed her cheek and sighed.

"And I am a hunter!" Giacomo said when he removed the silver blade sword out of the scabbard and held the handle tightly in his hand. Swinging the silver blade sword side to side then holding the silver blade sword up with the blade facing him, Giacomo glared at De'Avante and De'Avante smiled, holding the handle of the steel blade sword in his hand with the blade facing him.

"Whenever you are ready!" he said and Giacomo nodded his head. Constance backed toward the wall when Giacomo and De'Avante started fighting and the sound of metal slamming against each other echoed through the cell. De'Avante was surprised on how well versed Giacomo was with a sword as the silver blade sword sliced through the sleeve of the white shirt De'Avante was wearing and smoke rose from the wound on his arm. De'Avante hissed as his fangs appeared and slimed clung to the top fangs. They moved around the cell, neither giving the other room to counter attack, and blood was rolling down from the wounds on Giacomo's chest, right arm and left leg. Constance prayed that Giacomo would strike the killing blow when he fell to his knees and the silver blade sword fell to the ground.

"No!" Constance shouted as she ran to him and caught him as he slid to the right. She could see the blood rolled down his stomach as she quickly grabbed for the silver blade sword, stood up and held the handle tightly in her hands.

"Come now, Cheri, do you really think you can fight me?" De'Avante asked as he walked closer and, screaming an inhuman scream, Constance drove the silver blade into De'Avante's chest then pulled the silver blade out. Looking down, De'Avante looked at the blood rolling down his chest then looked at her and growled. "You seemed to have missed."

She watched as he fell to the ground unconscious and walked closer, holding the silver blade sword over her head.

"My l-love?" Giacomo gasped as she turned to look behind her and ran to him. Kneeling down, she placed the silver blade sword back into the scabbard as she lifted him into her arms and he looked at her. She stroked his back while kissing his lips and he breathed ragged breathes through his nose.

"Please, Darling, don't leave me," she said but he shook his head and placed his hand on the handle of the silver blade sword.

"I need y-you to take this an-and hide it where he will ne-never find it. Then you mu-must go. Run a-as far as y-you can. He won't st-stop until he fi-finds it and y-you," Giacomo said then a guttural breath bubbled in his throat and he closed his eyes. Tears rolled down her cheeks when Constance felt something bump into her back and she turned, seeing the tiger behind her. Carefully picking up Giacomo's body, she draped his body over the back of the tiger then held her wrist out. Cross flew to her wrist as they walked toward the shadows and vanished while cold tears of hate rolled down Constance's cheeks.

The moon was full while a body wrapped in white linen lay on stacks of wood and Constance slowly walked toward the pyre. She was wearing a black gown and the wet grass tickled her feet. The silver blade sword hung from the scabbard that was strapped around her waist and a lit torch was in her hand. She looked down at Giacomo when she kissed his lips then covered his face and tied the hood closed. Standing back a bit, she lit the wood as the pyre exploded in a red, yellow and orange fireball and she watched her love's body burn. Cross sat on a branch in to tree behind her and the tiger stood to her left. She looked at the tiger when it started sniffing the ground then walked off, fading into the shadows. Sighing, she waited until there was nothing left but ashes then quietly turned and walked away.

The creaking of the mast made her heart ache as Constance stood near the railing and watched the ship moving away from the dock. She had decided to go to the Colonies and prayed that Roberto had arrived there safely. She scanned the people moving by when a figure wearing a hood caught her eye and her heart clutched in her chest when the figure lowered the hood he was wearing and Roberto gently waved at her.

"No," she whispered, but knew it was too late and the tears rolled down her cheeks.

Las Vegas, Nevada 2011

The tears rolled down her cheeks when Cassandra opened her eyes and rolled onto her back. She didn't remember anything after Jean-Phillipe had turned into smoke except for a loud rushing of wind in her ears and blackness. She looked at the stone ceiling as she sighed and wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"_So that's what happened to Giacomo. Oh, Peter, why couldn't they have had a happy ending? Are we going to have one?" _she thought then sat up and looked around the room. The stone walls surrounded her a she looked up and saw the tiny window high up on the wall. She looked at the wooden and iron door then saw that she was lying on a straw mat and something stuck out of the straw. Reaching over, she moved the straw when her heart caught in her chest and she looked at the faded, black, wooden box. Her hands shook as she opened the lid and dropped the faded, black, wooden box to the straw, Inside was the bones of a severed finger and she picked up the tarnished ring, looking at it. _"Shit, this is her ring!"_

Cassandra didn't know if she was going to cry or be sick as she placed the bones back into the faded, black, wooden box and closed the lid. Getting up, she walked to the center of the room as she sighed and folded her arms around her body.

Peter sat on the floor in the panic room with his wrists on his knees and he looked at the monitors. Jane and Charlie were standing outside the door but he wasn't coming out and he hadn't changed out of his stage clothes or makeup. The police had been called after Cassandra had been taken and they had searched the entire showroom. They searched under the stage and in the dressing rooms but he refused to let them up to the penthouse. After threatening to get a search warrant, he let them up and was slightly amused when they saw his collection. He showed them all the permits for the weapons he had but they didn't find Cassandra and he had talked to a sketch artist, who made a drawing of Jean-Phillipe.

"_Like that is going to fucking work!" _he thought when he felt like he was being watched, looked at the corner of the panic room and saw Cross sitting on the box where Jane had placed his wine and Boe was lying on the floor. He felt guilty that he didn't include Cross in the show and knew he would have to answer a lot of questions if Boe suddenly appeared on stage.

"I am so sorry," he sighed as Cross nodded its head and Boe stood up, walked to him and settled on the floor next to him.

"Peter?" Jane's voice called out as he looked at the monitor and she looked at the camera. "We're going to bed. I set the alarms and locked the lift. If you want to come out, I'll make you some warm milk or maybe a double Midori."

"I got all the drinks I need in here!" he said then let go of the intercom button and she nodded her head, walking away. His placed his fingers behind his head after lowering his head and locked his fingers together. He felt like crying, screaming and trashing everything in sight as he sighed and unlocked his fingers, lifting his head. Getting up, he walked to the door when the door hissed open and he looked at Cross. Holding his wrist out, he watched Cross fly to him and land on his wrist. Nodding, they left the panic room and the door closed behind them.

The door opened while Peter, Cross and Boe came into the room and Peter turned the light on. Jane and Charlie didn't say anything as he closed the door and took the wig off, tossing it across the room. Removing the sideburns, moustache, goatee and the eyebrow ring, he placed them on the dresser and rubbed his hands through his hair, making it stand on end. He looked at the bed when he saw his black jeans, black leather boots, black belt, black t-shirt, black leather jacket and his armaments lying on the bed and looked at Boe, who only looked back and tilted its head to one side. A few minutes later Peter was fully dressed and armed as he looked at Cross and Boe and finally got the joke.

"Crossbow," he whispered then checked to see if the rifle was loaded and wished he was. His mind screamed out for a drink as he took the silver packet of cigarillos out of his pocket and pulled a cigarillo out with his teeth. Placing the silver pack of cigarillos back in his pocket, he took out the silver lighter and lit the cigarillo. He placed the silver lighter back in his pocket when he realized he had no idea where Jean-Phillipe had taken Cassandra and growled. "Now what do I do?"

He watched while Boe headed for the wall as he followed the tiger and noticed the black wallpaper seemed to ripple and the silver leaves moved back and forth. He remembered that Boe had led Giacomo to Constance as he looked down at Boe and saw the answer in the tiger's eyes. Turning, Peter held his wrist out as Cross, who had been sitting on the dresser, flew to him and land on his wrist. Placing the rifle against his shoulder, he looked down at Boe and smiled.

"Right, let's kill something!" he said as they walked into the darkness and the silver leaves moved back and forth.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

Peter didn't look left or right while they walked down the path and Boe walked onto a few feet in front of him. Peter could hear the sounds of howling and moaning all around him, but he looked straight ahead and saw a tiny dot of light only a few feet in front of him. The light grew brighter as an image appeared and he swore it looked like a stone cell. Boe walked faster as Peter half ran to keep up with the tiger and stopped when they came to the center of the cell.

"No, you have to get out of here!" Cassandra shouted as Peter turned around and Cross flew to the unlit torch sticking out of the wall.

"Why?" he asked while walking toward her and she slid her arms around him.

"This is where it happened."

"Where what happened?" he asked and she sighed, rubbing her hands over his bottom.

"This is where Giacomo died," she said then told him about her dream and Peter sighed, lowering his eyes. "So, please, go!"

"No, Cheri, let him stay," a voice behind her said as Peter moved Cassandra closer after she turned around and they looked at Jean-Phillipe. "Let's see if we can't make history repeat itself."

"Look, I get that you're out for revenge for your family. Fuck, I sort of did get my revenge and, Mate, it's not all it's cracked up to be," Peter said while Jean-Phillipe walked closer and stood face to face with him. Peter puffed on the cigarillo then took it out of his mouth and blew smoke in Jean-Phillipe's face. Growling, Jean-Phillipe went to punch Peter as Peter gently moved Cassandra one step to the left and Jean-Phillipe fell to his bottom. Peter softly laughed then placed the cigarillo back in his mouth and Jean-Phillipe got off the floor, glaring at him.

"I will not be made a fool of," he growled as he drew the steel blade sword out of the scabbard and pointed the steel blade at Peter.

"Yeah, well, someone's got to do it. I mean, come on, you spent all this time looking for her when you could have been rebuilding your family."

"Not as long as that was still out there," Jean-Phillipe said while pointing with the steel blade to the silver blade sword in the scabbard hanging from Peter's hip.

"You mean to say that a big bad ass vampire like you is afraid of this?" Peter asked after dropping the cigarillo to the ground, crushed it with his boot then removed the silver blade sword from the scabbard and pointed the silver blade at him.

"You have no idea what power you are playing with, Mon Ami," Jean-Phillipe said and Peter's eyes widened.

"Oh, I got a pretty good idea. So let's get this over with," Peter said as he placed Cassandra behind him, secretly handing her the rifle, and held the handle of the silver blade sword tightly in his hand with the blade facing him.

"You are so like your ancestor," Jean-Phillipe said and a hint of a smile broke Peter's face.

"You are so wrong. See, Giacomo was fighting because he had something to lose," Peter said then gave him a serious look. "I have nothing to lose."

"Then you die for nothing!" Jean-Phillipe said as he held the handle of the steel blade sword tightly in his hand with the blade facing him. Cassandra watched as the blades smashed together and was shocked with how well Peter was fighting.

"_He is either really very good at this or he's totally drunk!" _she thought while Peter swung the silver blade sword and the silver blade seemed to be glowing in a white light. He bellowed while the silver blade cut a long line from Jean-Phillipe's right shoulder down to his left hip and Jean-Phillipe screeched. The smoke and blood filled the air as he staggered back and Peter smiled at him.

"Giving up already?" Peter asked while bouncing side to side and Cassandra half smiled, rolling her eyes.

"_He's drunk," _she thought when Jean-Phillipe roared and charged at Peter. Peter stepped out of the way then swung the silver blade sword and cut a long line across Jean-Phillipe's back. The smoke and blood filled the air as Jean-Phillipe fell to his knees and, with one shaking hand, reached behind him, touched the blood then looked at his hand. Cassandra walked to Peter while Peter breathed hard and fast through his nose when an inhuman screeched filled the room and the steel blade sword fell to the floor.

"Oh shit," Peter said while they watched Jean-Phillipe arch his back and the white shirt he was wearing split into tatters as thick, black, leathery wings exploded from Jean-Phillipe's back, The muscles rippled under his skin while his arms extended and his fingers and thumbs turned into claws with long talons on the end. Jean-Phillipe pushed up as his trousers exploded and his legs extended while his feet turned into paws with long talons. Turning to face them, Jean-Phillipe snarled at them as his face turned into something almost feral and his eyes looked catlike. His nose was pushed up into a snout and slime dripped drown from the fangs. "Now that's what I call ugly!"

"This isn't time to make jokes!" Cassandra said as she came up next to him and held the rifle in her hands. Jean-Phillipe snarled at them as he moved closer and Cassandra smiled, looking through the cross hairs at him. "Just so you know. Constance was a wimp. Me? I'm a bitch!"

Peter slightly ducked as the rifle went off and Jean-Phillipe howled as the bullet hit his right shoulder. Hissing, he charged at them as Peter gently pulled her out of the way and handed her some rifle shells. Jean-Phillipe turned while growling at them then screeched when Boe jumped onto his back and clamped its jaws around his neck. Jean-Phillipe tried to shake the tiger off when Cross flew at him and started pecking at his eyes. Jean-Phillipe screeched when Cassandra took aim at his right leg and pulled the trigger. Jean-Phillipe screeched as he tried to rear up on his legs but Boe raked it's claws along his back and sides and Jean-Phillipe screamed. Peter handed Cassandra the last of the shells when she took aim and Jean-Phillipe reared up on his legs, trying to shake Boe off his back. Blood was rolling out of his eye sockets as he roared and Cassandra pulled the trigger. Peter crossed his legs as he hissed air and his left hand went over his crotch.

"Remind me not to make you mad," he teased while Jean-Phillipe crashed to his side and Boe jumped off his back, half running to Peter. Cross flew back to the unlit torch while Jean-Phillipe groaned and had changed back to his human form. Shrugging, Peter puffed on the cigarillo while walking to him and looked down, the handle of the silver blade sword held tightly in his hand. Bleeding and blind, Jean-Phillipe moaned while Peter held the silver blade sword over his head and growled. Howling, he swung the silver blade sword when Jean-Phillipe's head rolled across the floor and Boe picked the head up by the hair and headed for the shadows. The body had burst into blood, fire and ash as Peter placed the silver blade sword back into the scabbard and Cassandra walked closer, placing her arm around him.

"Where did he go?" Peter asked and Cassandra smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Don't worry. He'll be back," she said and he gave her a confused look.

"That didn't answer my question. Where did he go?"

"There are some things, Magic Man, that you're better off not knowing," she said as she looked at the shadows and smiled.

The bedroom was dark and still while Cross sat on the dresser and Bow was lying on the floor in front of the door. Both were asleep while Peter looked at the ceiling and watched the shadows moving. Jane and Charlie were angry after they had come back to the penthouse and Peter knew that Charlie was angry at the fact he didn't take him with him. Peter explained that it was his turn to slay the vampire and Charlie smiled, rolling his eyes. Jane, on the other hand, made him feel like a child when she called him an irresponsible, selfish asshole and that he could have been killed. She went on for what seemed like eternity while reminding him about his responsibilities to not only them, but to the hotel and how would they explain what happened if he and Cassandra hadn't come back. What made it worse was Charlie was standing behind her with a smirk on his face and Peter smiled, rubbing his eyes with his finger and thumb.

"You lied," Cassandra whispered as he blinked his eyes a few times and she moved her fingers through the soft hair on his chest.

"I lied?" he asked and she placed her head against the center of his chest and his heart thumped soft and steady in her ear.

"You told him you had nothing to lose," she said as she moved her fingers along his side and he shivered.

"Well, I did say that most of my life deals in lies and illusion. So, yeah, I did lie when I said that. I mean I have a great job, a limo, still trying to get them to give me my own jet and I live in Vegas. Then there's Charlie and Jane. Ok, Charlie lied to me, but he also made me realize that I was fooling myself and living a life that sucked. True, I never wanted any of this shit, but I'm stuck with it. It might not be a twenty-four seven deal. Then there's Cross and Boe," Peter said and the familiars opened their eyes at the mention of their names. "I couldn't ask for better back up. Finally, I have you. If someone would tell me a few months ago that I would meet someone that I would fall totally in love with, I would have told them to fuck off!"

"So…," she said as she carefully climbed on top of him and he could feel her hands moving under his shoulders and she kissed his chest. "You're telling me that Peter Vincent is happy?"

"Yep," Peter said as he popped the "p" and she giggled. "What?"

"Nothing," she said as she kissed his lips and Boe, watching them from its spot on the floor, snorted, closed its eyes and went back to sleep.

The End


End file.
